Carbon Offsets Done Differently
The Offsets Lab is a container for experimentation and collaboration that directs higher education’s best assets to propel innovation and integrity in the carbon offsets space. The Lab strives to support and drive collaboration around offsets via multiple pathways, including transdisciplinary research and collective vetting, project and protocol development, peer reviewed offsets for campus climate action, as well as offset student engagement and workforce development opportunities.
Hosted and facilitated by Second Nature.
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PROJECT-TYPE FOCUS
The Offsets Lab provides a platform for academic experts to collaborate around offsets research, and work together to assess problematic offset project types on the voluntary market according to the latest science.
TRANSdisciplinary research
The Offsets Lab seeks to convene, champion, and partner with researchers, faculty, sustainability departments, and student groups who are forging innovative partnerships between higher education and non-academic partners around carbon offsets to improve standard offsetting practices.
project & protocol development
We support students, faculty advisors, and campus sustainability staff in the modification of carbon offset protocols and/or carbon offset project development. This campus-as-lab approach to offsets provides teaching tools, research applications, and drives innovation around meeting campus climate goals through meaningful institutional contributions to community or on-campus mitigation.
peer reviewed offsets
The peer review model pairs schools together to create student learning and academic research opportunities in both project implementation and project validation and verification. Schools offer third party review of each other’s offset projects, using templates and modules designed to be used throughout a semester.
student engagement
We recognize the flaws and the benefits of market-based mitigation, and encourage higher education to get involved to make offsets a better space. Using the toughest offsets questions, we offer opportunities for educating the next generation of climate leaders.