The Carbon-OFF plan

The Carbon-OFF plan, published by Scientists for Global Responsibility, outlines a strategy for philanthropic organisations to align with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C target. The plan focuses on three pillars: reducing operational emissions using the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net Zero Standard, divesting financial assets and pensions from fossil fuels to increase the cost of capital for the industry, and leveraging funding power to require grant applicants to adopt net-zero standards and divest from fossil fuels.

• Philanthropic organisations are encouraged to adopt the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Net Zero Standard, which requires calculating a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions and committing to an annual reduction of at least 4.2% to align with a 1.5°C warming scenario.
• The guide recommends a long-term target of reducing emissions by at least 90% by 2050 at the latest, with the remaining 5–10% addressed through carbon removal. In the UK, woodland creation and upland peat restoration are identified as effective nature-based solutions for these residual emissions.
• Divestment from fossil fuels is presented as a critical tool because it can lower share prices and increase the cost of capital for the fossil fuel industry, thereby reducing their ability to explore and exploit resources.
• The document argues that fossil fuel investments are increasingly risky due to the potential for assets to become 'stranded' as the world moves toward the 1.5°C target, noting that only one-fifth of known reserves can be burned to meet the 'well below 2°C' goal.
• The guide warns against relying on carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies for net-zero targets, describing them as unproven at scale, expensive, and energy-intensive.
• Philanthropic organisations can influence systemic change by requiring grant applicants to provide science-based net-zero standards, disclose fossil fuel investments, and commit to divestment as a condition of funding.

APA

Kalaugher, D. L., & Parkinson, D. S. (2022). The Carbon-OFF plan. Scientists for Global Responsibility. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-11/SGR_Carbon_OFF_Plan_V3.pdf

Chicago

Kalaugher, Dr Liz, and Dr Stuart Parkinson. The Carbon-OFF plan. Scientists for Global Responsibility, 2022. https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-11/SGR_Carbon_OFF_Plan_V3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kalaugher |first1=Dr Liz |last2=Parkinson |first2=Dr Stuart |title=The Carbon-OFF plan |publisher=Scientists for Global Responsibility |date=July 2022 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-11/SGR_Carbon_OFF_Plan_V3.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kalaugher2022carbonoff, author = {Kalaugher, Dr Liz and Parkinson, Dr Stuart}, title = {{The Carbon-OFF plan}}, institution = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2022}, month = jul, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-11/SGR_Carbon_OFF_Plan_V3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }