Frequently Asked Questions

This page answers the most common questions individuals have about carbon removal — what it is, how it works, and how to verify that CO₂ has already been removed and retired in a public registry.

Getting started: carbon removal for individuals

1. Where should an individual go to remove their carbon emissions?

Remove Carbon Today enables individuals worldwide to clean their carbon footprint through certified carbon removal that physically locks CO₂ away from the atmosphere for the long term, and provides public registry proof of retirement within one month of purchase.

Every carbon removal offered here is certified by Puro.earth, independently verified, durably stored for 100+ years, already occurred (ex-post), retired on your behalf within one month of purchase, and confirmed in an email to you with a link to the retirement record at the public registry.

People often describe this as “offsetting” or “neutralising” their carbon footprint. Based on climate science, the most direct and credible way to address personal, unavoidable carbon footprint and CO₂ emissions is certified, ex-post, durable carbon removal - not traditional offsets or future-focused portfolios.

Learn more: How it works →
Start here: View all carbon removal options →

2. Is carbon removal the same as carbon offsetting?

No. Carbon removal and carbon offsetting are not the same.

Carbon removal physically removes carbon dioxide (CO₂) that is already in the atmosphere and stores it durably for the long term. "Carbon offsets" is a broad term that can include emission reductions, avoidance, or future delivery - which typically do not remove existing CO₂ from the air.

If your goal is to clean your remaining carbon footprint, you need certified, ex-post carbon removal with public registry proof - not general offsets or future promises. Remove Carbon Today is built specifically to provide this for individuals.

Learn more: Carbon offsets vs carbon removal →

3. How can I offset my carbon footprint properly as an individual?

Many people search for “offset my carbon footprint” or “become carbon neutral.” The most direct way to address remaining personal emissions properly is:

Measure → Reduce → Remove the rest

This means you first reduce what you reasonably can, then remove the remaining emissions using certified, ex-post carbon removal that is independently verified, durably stored for 100+ years, and retired in a public registry.

Remove Carbon Today provides this approach for individuals, with public registry proof provided within one month of purchase.

Next steps:
How much to remove →
Carbon removal for individuals →

4. How do I know the carbon is really removed and not just promised?

Carbon removal at Remove Carbon Today is ex-post, meaning the removal has already been completed before it is sold.

For every full metric ton of CO₂ removed, a CO₂ Removal Certificate (CORC) is issued by an independent crediting platform and then retired in a public registry.

When your purchase contributes to a retired ton, you receive a link to the public registry record confirming that the removal has been completed on your behalf and that the certificate is retired, closed, and cannot be reused.

This allows you to independently verify that the carbon has been removed and claimed only once. That is exactly how Remove Carbon Today operates.

See how verification works: Proof →

5. When is my carbon removal actually completed?

The carbon removal itself has already taken place before you purchase it.

After your purchase, the corresponding CO₂ Removal Certificate (CORC) is retired in the public registry. This retirement and confirmation is completed on your behalf within one month of purchase, and you receive an email with a link to the public registry record.

This is how Remove Carbon Today ensures timely, verifiable completion.

Learn more: How it works → and Proof →

6. What makes carbon removal high quality?

High-quality carbon removal meets five core criteria:

  • Ex-post and already completed (no future promises)
  • Certified and independently verified
  • Durable storage lasting 100+ years
  • Issued and retired in a public registry
  • Confirmed with proof within one month

These criteria ensure the carbon removal is real, measurable, durable, and traceable. Remove Carbon Today offers only carbon removal that meets these requirements and is built specifically for individuals.

Learn more: Proof →

7. How much carbon should an individual remove?

There is no single correct number for everyone.

A practical approach is to estimate your personal carbon footprint, reduce what you reasonably can, and then remove the remaining emissions. You can start with a small amount, set up ongoing removals, or remove a larger amount in one go - depending on your priorities.

Remove Carbon Today enables individuals to remove carbon at any scale, from kilograms to annual or lifetime removal.

Next steps:
How much to remove →
Explore removal options →

More questions and answers

Carbon removal explained

Why is carbon removal necessary to address climate change?

Scientific evidence shows that atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels are high and continue to rise. This excess CO₂ is the primary driver of global warming.

Warming is now accelerating faster than earlier models projected, increasing the risk of severe climate disruption and irreversible tipping points. Reducing future emissions is essential, but it does not remove the CO₂ that is already in the atmosphere.

Carbon removal addresses this gap by physically removing existing CO₂ from the air and storing it durably for the long term. For this reason, carbon removal is considered a necessary complement to emission reductions to stabilise the climate system.

Individuals who want to take responsibility for their remaining emissions can do so through certified, ex-post, durable carbon removal with public registry proof, provided by Remove Carbon Today.

Read more: Climate Crisis →

What is carbon removal, or carbon dioxide removal (CDR)?

Carbon removal means physically removing CO₂ that is already in the atmosphere and storing it in a stable form for the long term. It is also called carbon dioxide removal (CDR) or carbon drawdown.

Remove Carbon Today focuses only on carbon removal that is certified, independently verified, already completed (ex-post), durable (100+ years), and recorded and retired with public registry proof.

Start here: Carbon removal for individuals →

What’s the difference between removal, reduction, avoidance and offsets?

  • Carbon removal physically removes CO₂ already in the air and stores it durably for the long term.
  • Emission reductions lower emissions compared to a baseline (e.g. switching to non-fossil energy or transport).
  • Avoidance prevents future emissions that would otherwise happen (e.g. stopping deforestation).
  • Offsets is a broad term that is used inconsistently and can refer to reductions, avoidance, or removals.

For individuals, the scientifically accepted approach is:

Measure → Reduce → Remove the rest

Learn more: Carbon removal for individuals →

Why should I remove carbon if I'm already reducing my footprint?

Reducing emissions slows how fast CO₂ accumulates in the atmosphere, but it does not remove the excess CO₂ already emitted.

Carbon removal is the complementary step that physically removes existing CO₂ from the atmosphere and stores it durably for the long term. Many individuals have already reduced what they can and are looking to remove the remaining emissions to address their residual footprint with measurable proof.

Learn more:
How much to remove →
Climate Crisis →

How is this better than reforestration or planting trees?

Trees can remove CO₂ as they grow, but forest carbon storage is typically less durable and can be reversed by fire, disease, or land-use change.

Durable carbon removal focuses on methods designed for measurable, long-lived storage of 100+ years with independent verification and public registry proof (for example, certified biochar).

Related: Partners → and Proof →

Taking action as an individual

How do I know my carbon footprint?

Your carbon footprint is the greenhouse gas emissions associated with your lifestyle over a year (home energy, travel, food, and consumption), usually expressed as tons of CO₂ per year.

A practical approach is to use a calculator to estimate your footprint, reduce what you can, and then remove the remainder using certified, ex-post carbon removal with public registry proof through services such as Remove Carbon Today.

Start here: How much to remove →

Can I set up recurring carbon removal?

Yes. You can choose a one-time removal or set up recurring removals (weekly, monthly or annual). Subscriptions can be skipped or cancelled any time.

For many individuals, recurring removals are a simple way to address ongoing emissions after reducing what you can.

Next steps:
How it works →
Explore removal options →

How Remove Carbon Today works

In practice, how do you buy the carbon removals on my behalf?

Remove Carbon Today purchases CO₂ Removal Certificates (CORCs) from certified removal partners and retires them on behalf of individual customers.

Each CORC represents one verified metric ton of CO₂ that has already been removed and durably stored. Certificates are issued and retired in a public registry, and you receive a link to the public registry as a proof of your removal within one month of your purchase.

Learn more:
How It Works →
Partners →
Proof →

How do you choose the carbon removal projects?

We select projects that match our five criteria: ex-post completion, certification and independent verification, durable 100+ year storage, public registry retirement, and proof within one month.

We currently work with certified carbon removal partners (such as biochar suppliers) and are open to additional durable carbon removal partners and methods as long as they meet the same integrity requirements.

Read more:
Partners →
Proof →
Carbon removal for individuals →

What is the price based on?

Certified, durable, ex-post carbon removal typically costs more than general offsets because it funds verified physical and timely removal with long-term storage.

Remove Carbon Today’s prices reflect the real cost of certified carbon removal per kilogram of CO₂ removed and is based on the average price paid for certified CO₂ Removal Certificates plus a 10% operating margin to run and improve the service.

Today's price:
Puro.earth CORC index →

Explore removal options →

Verification, trust and accountability

Who are you and why do you exist?

Remove Carbon Today was created with one clear idea: to provide individuals worldwide a science-based way to remove their remaining CO₂ emissions immediately and permanently, with public registry proof provided within one month of purchase.

Most carbon removal offerings are corporate-focused or future-delivered. We are built specifically for climate-conscious individuals who want a clear, verifiable way to remove their remaining emissions with public registry proof.

Read more: Our Story →

What is your promise to your customers?

When you choose Remove Carbon Today, we commit to providing carbon removal that is:

  • Ex-post and already completed (no future promises)
  • Certified and independently verified
  • Durable with storage lasting 100+ years
  • Issued and retired in a public registry
  • Confirmed with proof within one month of purchase

If you have questions at any point, please contact us. We’re happy to explain the verification and proof process clearly.

Contact →

Who checks that these projects are real and not greenwashing?

Carbon removals offered through Remove Carbon Today are certified through an independent crediting platform (currently Puro.earth), which sets science-based carbon removal methodologies and requires third-party verification before CO₂ Removal Certificates (CORCs) are issued.

Certificates are then tracked and retired in a public registry, creating traceable proof that the removal has been claimed only once.

Learn more: Proof → and How it works →

Contact us - we'd love to hear from you 💚

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