A new study reveals that forest carbon offset programs may significantly underestimate the risk of wildfires. Researchers found that buffer pools, which act as insurance for carbon losses, are often too small by a factor of six to cover projected climate disruptions over the next century. This shortfall threatens the credibility of nature-based offsets, as carbon released during fires cancels out the emissions reductions these credits claim to provide. The findings suggest a need for stricter rules and larger insurance pools to ensure long-term carbon durability.
