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Climate Governance Integrity Programme

Climate & Corruption Case Atlas - Climate Governance Integrity Programme

  • Italy

The Vatican Carbon-Offset Fraud

Corruption Type

Fraud

As tackling the climate crisis becomes ever more urgent, businesses around the world are trying to profit from the trend to reduce our environmental impact. In 2007, a climate start-up sought publicity by donating carbon offset certificates to the Vatican, promising to make the Holy See the world’s “first carbon neutral sovereign state”. The project claimed to offset CO2 emissions by planting millions of trees in the Hungarian country side. However, when the company unexpectedly shut down, it was revealed that not a single tree had been planted, and no emissions had been offset.

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