Achieving carbon neutrality is no longer the only goal: it is crucial that climate action is also sustainable.

In recent times, the practice of offsetting CO2 emissions through any kind of carbon credits was commonplace among companies and nations. But this approach has evolved.

?Today, it is critical to ensure that offsets not only meet emission reduction requirements, but also come from projects committed to sustainability and environmental integrity.

?For those unfamiliar with these terms, it is key to understand that, to combat climate change, we must significantly reduce human-caused emissions and offset any residual emissions with actions that remove or capture an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

?The term "net zero" or carbon neutrality, implies achieving a balance between the greenhouse gas emissions we emit and those we can absorb or eliminate. Ideally, companies and countries should minimize their emissions, but this is costly and time-consuming, and resources are scarce in the fight against global warming.

?Therefore, companies move forward in their efforts to reduce emissions, it is crucial that they offset those they cannot eliminate by purchasing carbon credits.

These credits are generated by carbon projects, which are initiatives designed to reduce, avoid, or capture greenhouse gas emissions, thus balancing emissions generated by other human activities.

?These projects can be based on natural solutions, such as forest and mangrove conservation and restoration, or on carbon capture and storage technologies. But the key is that it is not enough for these projects to capture or avoid emissions; they must also be sustainable and transparent, seeking a balance between human needs, environmental conservation and the well-being of present and future generations.

?Carbon projects must have a positive environmental, social and economic impact.

?From an environmental perspective, they must contribute to the conservation or recovery of biodiversity.

?On a social level, it is essential that local communities participate in and commit to the projects, managing their territories sustainably.

?Finally, from an economic point of view, everyone involved should benefit: communities, project developers, organizations that offset their emissions, and the planet.

?Carbon projects based on sustainability and transparency represent an effective and realistic solution to climate change. They favor the creation of sustainable development models from the communities, promoting profound changes in our systems of production, consumption and governance.

Sustainability provides us with an ethical and practical framework to guide our actions toward a more just and resilient future, while the goal of achieving carbon neutrality guides us in mitigating the impacts of global warming.

?Together, these principles form the basis of a comprehensive and transformative approach to tackling the most pressing climate challenge of our time.