Two environmentalist-oriented publications issued a joint report during mid-September revealing that the United Nations’ claims or carbon neutrality are untrue. According to Mongabay and New Humanitarian, the United Nations purchases millions of dollars of carbon offsets as a way to neutralize the world body’s massive emissions.

However, the report says, that the projects the U.N. funds resulting from carbon offset purchases are not only causing environmental damage but even negatively affecting the lives of people. For example, the Okhla waste-to-energy plant in India emitted harmful air pollution and was revealed to be linked to reports of having conducted environmental destruction, forced displacement, or health problems in communities near the projects.

The two publications also discovered that the U.N.’s Word Food Program (WFP) purchased thousands of carbon credits from the Teles Pires hydroelectric plant in Brazil that was accused of razing forests and damaging biodiversity. Consequently, any such benefits the investments made by the U.N. made were negated by the plant’s deforestation.

Not surprisingly, the report said that a lot of the carbon credits the U.N. purchased did not meet high standards (i.e. on par with or similar to junk bonds), but the manuscript also criticized the world body for buying questionable credits while setting a poor example:

Roughly 100 companies are responsible for more than 70% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, while a recent study of climate neutrality claims from 25 multinationals found most were overstated. British Airways and Delta Air Lines, for example, have faced particularly stringent criticism over their claims.

Still, climate researchers and environmental advocates say the UN’s offsetting practices undermine its leadership on efforts to slow the pace of global warming.

Aside from overseeing multiple climate treaties, the UN is also a steward in helping governments meet climate commitments under the Paris Agreement, organizing the annual COP climate conferences. This year’s COP28 starts on 30 November in Dubai.

What this comes down to is that carbon offsets or credits are nothing more than a shell game. They give license to polluters to emit more carbon dioxide while allegedly reducing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere. Yet politicians and well known environmentalist advocates, like Al Gore, sell carbon credits like their indulgences in order to relieve well-connected people (like celebrities), governments and companies of the guilt for their carbon emissions.

Al Gore made a fortune selling carbon offsets and laughed all the way to the bank. In the case of the U.N., carbon offsets or credits are a money laundering racket to help their friends get rich.