Carbon offsetting has become a "fashion accessory" to many companies, it has been claimed.
However, Jason Torrance, campaigns director at Campaign for Better Transport, said that he remained sceptical and cautious about the process.
He explained that once an aeroplane or factory produced a large amount of carbon dioxide, no amount of carbon offsetting would be able to take it back.
"It [offers] a way for individuals and carbon-using governments to salvage their conscience rather than taking real and appropriate action," Mr Torrance added.
He went on to claim that individuals and companies which justified their carbon intensive behaviour regularly through the belief that they were also offsetting were deluding themselves.
Mr Torrance concluded by recommending that the real changes lay in people changing their behaviour.
A recent poll by Expedia showed that most travellers are confused about carbon offsetting and nearly all of them think the government should do more to improve awareness.
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