Carbon Offsets and Climate Change
Provided by: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative|Published on: February 6, 2023|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12, AP
Type: Lesson Plans
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences, Economics
Authors: MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, The Kid Should See This
Location: Earth
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this lesson, students learn about carbon offsets and the Kyoto Protocol through data investigations, discussions, and historical analysis.
- Students will listen to a podcast, complete activities, watch an animation of carbon emissions, and read statements from large corporations about their environmental commitments.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- The resource includes all teaching materials, an educator's guide on how to use the activities, resources for your own better understanding, and additional discussion questions.
- Each activity can be used as a standalone or in sequence.
Additional Prerequisites
- The entire lesson (podcast and all activities) will take 90-145 minutes to complete.
- The activities should follow the podcast, which provides critical information necessary for the rest of the lesson.
- Students should have a basic understanding of the link between carbon dioxide and climate change.
- The guide includes options for those with limited or no access to the Internet.
Differentiation
- The language in the Kyoto Protocol reading may be advanced for some students. Allow students extra time to research terms online or in a dictionary.
- Since it is not clarified in the lesson, we suggest explaining the difference between carbon offsets and carbon removal to students.
- Students may be surprised to learn that, in many cases, carbon offsetting can do more harm than good. Have students brainstorm ways to improve carbon offsetting and the carbon credit market.
- As an extension, more advanced students can be directed to recent studies on the effectiveness and social impacts of carbon offsets.
- This resource can also be used in history classes during lessons about the Kyoto Protocol and other climate agreements or in economics classes during lessons about the role of the private sector in climate mitigation.
This guide provides a podcast episode with an accompanying lesson plan, worksheets, and resources for teachers to introduce students to the idea of carbon offsets. The lesson also includes information about where carbon is emitted, how it spreads through the atmosphere, the Kyoto Protocol, forests, and what some companies are claiming to do to offset their carbon emissions. The resource is accurate and recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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