Carbon neutral means that – through a transparent process of calculating emissions, reducing those emissions and offsetting residual emissions – net carbon emissions equal zero.

Diagram from, “Consultation on the term ‘carbon neutral’: its definition and recommendations for good practice” by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the world today. It is within this context that ‘carbon neutral’ has become an increasingly used term in recent years. Users of the term range from Government and large organisations to small businesses, communities and even individuals. A number of large companies have already pledged to become carbon neutral, including Tesco and Marks & Spencer.