The result of reducing the emissions generated from an activity or entity to zero through implementing a combination of measures:

• Reducing emissions at source for example increasing energy efficiency
• Replacing polluting energy sources with clean renewable sources
• Offsetting emissions by reducing an equivalent amount of carbon elsewhere.

In the absence of a global standard on what it means to be carbon neutral, there is currently conjecture around what the scope of the emissions should be. For instance, should this include only energy consumption, vehicle and air travel or also waste, water and consumables? If individuals want to make a carbon neutral claim they must be clear and transparent about what calculations and assumptions they’ve used to measure their carbon footprint and what actions support their intentions to be carbon neutral.