And ahead of schedule, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development reports. HSBC did not actually go carbon neutral but paid for offsets at around $4.40 per tonne of CO2. I find this more helpful than trying to plant trees in the car parks of HSBC branches around the world... some businesses will inevitably emit carbon dioxide in an early 21st century economy, and the costs of try to eliminate emissions can be prohibitive. The trading approach is likely to be much more effective.
Update: See also the WBCSD online discussion on "The Business of Development."
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