The climate change issue is quickly becoming more than a fringe issue.  While emissions legislation may create economic burdens for businesses not sufficiently prepared, it can also create opportunities for those willing to be proactive:

1.  Savings: By voluntarily calculating and assigning a cost to carbon emissions, companies can get a head start on an economy in which carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are regulated and taxed.   This is an important step towards managing carbon emissions efficiently and identifying potential for reductions and cost savings. A very effective way of reducing emissions is by being more energy efficient.  A positive by-product of this is that you also reduce your energy bill which saves money, particularly in the context of high energy /oil prices.

2.  Social Responsibility: Carbon management and offsetting can be a part of a more holistic plan to benefit the environment and community a business operates in.

3.  Business Opportunities: Through an emissions reduction program, some companies have found what is referred to as a "silver bullet".  Because of their unique position in their market or industry, coupled with the economic changes that are brought on by climate change, a new opportunity arose for them to capitalize on, and find a new profit.

4.  Being an example: Companies willing to progressively take a stand are often in a position to positively influence business peers and legislation.

5.  Shareholder demand: Employees and shareholders interested in working for a socially responsible company may want to see carbon reducing efforts or offsetting.

6.  Regulatory Compliance: There are some companies who in future may be part of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme who have caps on their emissions. These companies could be entitled to reduce their overall emissions by procuring offsets, and therefore may choose to act in the voluntary market to learn more before being under a compliance regime. Also many buyers (particularly in the US) purchase offsets as a hedge against future compliance risk, for example, they are expecting that the offsets they buy will be recognised under a future compliance scheme and can therefore be used to meet a compliance target or sold to another compliance party.

7.  Green marketing: Developing carbon neutral  products or services can help companies reach new customers who increasingly care about the environmental impact of products and services that they buy. Going carbon neutral can send a powerful message to consumers, competitors and the public that you share their concern over climate change, are taking steps today to neutralise your emissions and that by buying from, investing in or promoting your business the public at large can help combat climate change.

8.  Reputational and commercial risk: More and more, companies that do nothing with regards to climate change are publicly criticized and investors have also started taking into account companies environmental footprints when valuing stock. Therefore for some companies, it is too much of a risk not to be taking steps to address climate change due to both the commercial consequences as well as the risk of negative public opinion.