Carbon Credits: Plugging the Emissions Elimination Gap

Patrick Ilott
Feb 24
3 min read

At Perspektiv, our position has always been clear: the goal is not carbon neutrality on paper, it is the reduction and elimination of emissions in reality.

We work with organisations to decarbonise their operations in a way that is practical, science-aligned, and commercially achievable. In most cases, we can drive meaningful emissions reductions, often 80–90%, through operational efficiency, electrification, renewable energy procurement, supply chain engagement, and strategic transition planning. But what about the remaining 10–20%?

For many organisations, there are residual emissions that cannot yet be eliminated due to technological, financial, or structural constraints. Hard-to-abate emissions are a genuine challenge across sectors, from construction materials and heavy transport to legacy assets and global supply chains.

This is where carbon credits enter the conversation.

Why We’re Expanding into Carbon Credit Brokerage

We are stepping into carbon credit brokerage because we recognise that for many of our clients, high-quality carbon credits are a necessary, interim component of a credible net-zero pathway.

Importantly, we do not see credits as a shortcut. They are not a substitute for decarbonisation. And they are never the starting point. They are the final piece of the puzzle, used to responsibly address residual emissions while real reduction efforts continue.

By supporting clients with sourcing and due diligence directly, we can ensure that offsets are:

Strategically aligned with their broader sustainability objectives
Scientifically credible
Transparent and defensible under scrutiny
Integrated into a long-term transition plan

In short, we are ensuring that when credits are used, they are used properly.

Not All Carbon Credits Are Created Equal

The carbon market is evolving rapidly and not always consistently. While there are many high-integrity projects globally, there have also been legitimate concerns about credit quality, additionality, permanence, and transparency.

Low-quality credits can present reputational, regulatory, and financial risk. They may:

Overstate emissions reductions
Lack additionality (meaning the project would have occurred anyway)
Fail to guarantee long-term carbon sequestration
Provide limited social or biodiversity co-benefits
Offer insufficient verification or monitoring

For organisations making public net-zero or carbon-neutral commitments, these risks matter.

What “High-Quality” Means in Practice

When we talk about sourcing quality credits, we mean projects that demonstrate:

Additionality: The emissions reduction or removal would not have occurred without carbon finance.

Permanence: Carbon stored or avoided is durable and protected against reversal.

Robust Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV): Independent, transparent verification under recognised standards.

No Double Counting: Clear ownership and retirement processes to avoid duplicate claims.

Co-benefits: Where possible, positive environmental and social outcomes aligned with the SDGs.

Alignment with Evolving Frameworks: Including alignment with emerging guidance under ISSB/ASRS, SBTi and integrity initiatives such as the ICVCM and VCMI.

Our team applies the same technical scrutiny to carbon credits as we do to sustainability reporting and climate strategy. If we wouldn’t stand behind it in an assured disclosure, we won’t recommend it.

Credits as a Bridge, not a Destination

The integrity of a net zero claim depends on the pathway behind it.

We work with clients to:

Measure emissions accurately
Set science-aligned reduction targets
Implement genuine decarbonisation initiatives
Address residual emissions with high-quality credits
Continually reduce reliance on offsets over time

Our ultimate objective is always to eliminate emissions. Credits are a transitional tool, a bridge, while technology, infrastructure and supply chains catch up.

Used responsibly, they enable organisations to:

Meet near-term commitments
Maintain momentum in their climate strategy
Support credible climate projects globally
Demonstrate accountability while continuing to decarbonise

Used poorly, they undermine trust. We choose the former.

Completing the Sustainability Puzzle

Sustainability is never one-dimensional. Governance, risk, reporting, decarbonisation, supply chain engagement, stakeholder expectations, they all interconnect. Carbon credits are one piece of that broader system.

By integrating brokerage into our service offering, we can now support clients end-to-end: from emissions baselining and strategy development through to implementation, reporting, assurance readiness and, where necessary, high-integrity offsetting. It allows us to maintain control of quality, integrity, and alignment, rather than leaving a critical component of the net-zero claim to chance.