Swiss Carbon Market: WasteOlas, a driving force behind local transition in response to the federal government’s strong signal

Carbon Offsetting: Between Doubts and Opportunities, Switzerland at a Crossroads – The Local CCU as a Solution for the Future

Switzerland has committed to drastically reducing its CO₂ emissions, notably by funding offset projects abroad. However, recent developments—including the independent analysis by BeZero Carbon commissioned by the FOEN and revelations in the Swiss press (24heures.ch)—highlight the limitations and controversies surrounding this strategy.

Analysis of the BeZero Report: A Strong Signal for Accountability and Transparency

On August 7, 2025, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) commissioned BeZero Carbon, a global carbon rating agency, to independently assess projects falling under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement (bezerocarbon.com, esgnews.com).

This mandate aims to ensure the transparency, scientific rigor, and credibility of the carbon credits traded by Switzerland on the international stage. BeZero Carbon has thus evaluated projects such as the introduction of electric buses in Bangkok and agricultural initiatives in Ghana, highlighting the importance of independent analyses in building trust in carbon offset mechanisms.

Key points from the BeZero report :

Switzerland aims to incorporate independent assessments into its carbon trading mechanisms, thereby enhancing transparency and scientific rigor.
The incorporation of independent risk assessments is essential to ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of carbon markets.
This approach encourages innovation and investment in robust, traceable, and verifiable solutions, particularly in carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies.

A compensation system under fire

Electric bus projects in Thailand and rice farming projects in Ghana, which are intended to allow Switzerland to offset some of its emissions, are facing significant criticism (24heures.ch) :

Contested additionality: The supported initiatives would have been launched even without Swiss funding, calling into question the actual impact of the funds invested.
Méthodologies fragiles : Les calculs d’émissions évitées reposent sur des standards parfois éloignés de la réalité, et certains gaz à effet de serre ne sont même pas pris en compte.
Lack of transparency and oversight: The amounts invested remain confidential, on-site monitoring is limited, and even the appointed experts do not always have access to all the necessary documents.
Risk of local disengagement: Partner countries’ national policies are not always aligned with project objectives, which undermines the projects’ sustainability.

Different perspectives

Swiss authorities (FOEN, DETEC): They acknowledge the criticism and assert that risk assessments are used to improve the quality of projects. They point out that offsetting abroad remains less costly than domestic measures, but say they are prepared to suspend any project that does not meet the standards.
Private actors (South Pole): They advocate for projects to comply with environmental and regulatory requirements, while acknowledging the complexity of implementation.
NGOs and independent experts: They criticize the lack of transparency, the absence of public oversight, and the illusion of effective compensation abroad. They call for a focus on local, traceable, and verifiable solutions.
Parliament and civil society: An increasing number of voices are calling for a renewed focus on reducing emissions within Switzerland and a revision of climate policy for the post-2030 period.

Current limitations and prospects for improvement

The current situation reveals that the international carbon offset system, as it is practiced today, has significant flaws: a lack of traceability, additionality, transparency, and oversight. However, these criticisms pave the way for numerous improvements:

Development of more robust methodologies tailored to field conditions.
Strengthening independent oversight and data transparency.
Promoting local, innovative, and traceable solutions.

The Local CCU: A Credible and Ambitious Solution

In light of these challenges, local carbon capture and utilization (CCU) technologies emerge as a credible and promising alternative. They enable :

Full traceability of captured and utilized emissions.
A measurable and verifiable impact, directly within Switzerland.
A concrete contribution to the climate goals set by the Swiss Confederation (admin.ch).

WasteOlas: Striving for Excellence in Switzerland’s Climate Transition

At WasteOlas, we are fully aware of the current limitations of the international carbon market. That is why we have chosen to develop a local, transparent, and audited CO₂ capture system capable of demonstrating that it is entirely possible to track and offset emissions from Swiss companies, right here and now.

Our goal: to demonstrate that, through innovation, rigor, and transparency, Switzerland can achieve its climate goals while creating value locally. We invite all stakeholders—businesses, government agencies, and citizens—to join this effort to make Switzerland a model of excellence in the low-carbon transition.

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Let’s work together to tackle the climate crisis with credible, local, and ambitious solutions!