Plug-in helps South African shoppers fight climate change

As online shopping continues to grow at rapid pace and millions of consumers click the checkout button across the globe, carbon-offsetting has emerged as a mechanism to lower the environmental impact of current levels of consumerism by investing in climate projects which reduce emissions.

Jones added: “While scientists and policymakers have the latest and most accurate information about climate change and the most effective measures to mitigate its worst effects, consumers often do not. Add to this the understandable anxiety about climate change as a massive complex global issue and many people feel overwhelmed to the point of being despondent.

“Given that so much of today’s consumption is facilitated online, the ability to offset one’s carbon impact is an enormous opportunity to take action to shift the status quo in which every act of carbon offsetting, no matter how small, makes a measurable difference.”

“Consumers want to do the right thing, and support businesses who share their concern for the environment”

Aside from treading lightly on the planet, Curbon claims the addition of its carbon neutral checkout to e-commerce offers a clearer path to sustainability for retailers, while boosting brand value and creating customer loyalty. “The relative importance of sustainability during the purchase process is becoming more apparent,” said Curbon co-founder and director Michael Pollock.

“Consumers want to do the right thing, and support businesses who share their concern for the environment. The South African online retail space has more than doubled in just two years, topping ZAR30.2bn in 2021. If only 20 per cent of South Africans fund 2-3 per cent of the value of their online carts towards carbon offsetting their purchases, ZAR150m would be raised to fight climate change.”

The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates at least 32 million people will be pushed into extreme poverty because of climate change. “Climate change will only exacerbate inequality and the already grim economic reality facing many developing nations, including South Africa,” said Curbon co-founder and director Steffen Burrows. “The science is unequivocal: climate change endangers the well-being of people and the planet, but we still have an opportunity to realise a sustainable, liveable future for all.”