The United States is set to release new guidelines for carbon offsets to enhance market confidence and ensure genuine emissions reductions. This initiative follows the 2022 launch of the Energy Transition Accelerator, aimed at leveraging private finance to assist developing countries in transitioning to clean energy. John Podesta, American political consultant and senior adviser for clean energy innovation, emphasized the importance of carbon markets in climate action but acknowledged criticisms undermining confidence in their efficacy. The guidelines will focus on ensuring that carbon credits reflect real, additional, and permanent emissions reductions, with sector-level emissions accounting. Podesta emphasized that companies should not rely solely on carbon credits but should invest directly in reducing emissions. Meanwhile, there’s ongoing debate within the Science Based Targets initiative over allowing supply chain emissions to be offset, with Podesta and John Kerry applauding recent decisions to incorporate carbon offsets into their standards.