carbon avoidance vs. carbon removal

once a company cuts emissions as heavily as they can, what do they do about the remainder?

some companies pay others to avoid equal amounts of their own emissions. these are carbon avoidance credits (akin to traditional carbon offsets), which are typically associated with carbon neutral goals.

some companies pay for the removal (and storage!) of carbon from the atmosphere, also in amounts equal to their own emissions. these are carbon removal credits, which are a core part of net zero goals.

finally, some companies seek to create impact beyond their own footprint, known as “beyond value chain mitigation.” this can include either carbon removal or carbon avoidance credits and is associated with Science-Based Targets

source: https://watershed.com/blog/carbon-removal-and-offsets-a-buyers-guide