What carbon reduction practices are offered by Belgian intermediaries to businesses, and who are the actors involved in these practices?

Abstract

The IPCC reports have highlighted the urgent need for action in the corporate world to address greenhouse gas emissions contributing to global warming. If left unchecked, this could lead to a temperature rise of over 2°C by the end of the century, resulting in severe and unprecedented climate changes that will impact all life on our planet. In response to pressure from stakeholders, more companies are committing to becoming CO2-neutral within specific timeframes as part of their energy transition strategies. This has led to the rapid emergence of numerous offset providers under under-regulated and voluntary regimes. The carbon offset market is therefore the world's response to the increasing impact of carbon emissions and the severe threat of global warming. This research aims to conduct an exploratory and descriptive study to identify the providers involved in carbon offsetting practices in Belgium, understand their methods, and contextualise these practices to grasp the underlying issues. The thesis is divided into two parts: a theoretical section and an empirical section. The literature review provides a relevant academic context for the research. The second part involves fieldwork, including interviews and data collection, utilising a qualitative study approach. This research has gathered comprehensive information on the practices of various providers, understanding who they are through their websites and interviews. The final chapter compares the results by triangulating empirical observations and integrating the literature review. The study concludes that many changes are still possible given the various identified issues, particularly regarding practices, regulations, certification and evaluation. However, we are not in a position to assess the effectiveness and relevance of the practices proposed by the various providers. Therefore, given the central role of offsets in achieving global climate objectives, this latter should be carried out in greater depth.