But to make it work, Total's pioneers of carbon neutrality first needed to find green projects capable of meeting two requirements: generate carbon credits back

But to make it work, Total's pioneers of carbon neutrality first needed to find green projects capable of meeting two requirements: generate carbon credits backed by an international organization, without costing too much. After struggling to come up with an answer, the team set up a meeting with South Pole, a project developer based in Zurich that came recommended by rival traders. That's how $600,000 from a $17 million LNG transaction ended up, in part, paying for forest protection in Zimbabwe. The resulting trade looks like a win for everyone. Total kept its promise to investors to shrink its carbon footprint. Impoverished communities received financial support. And the buyer, China National Offshore Oil Corp., cited the shipment as one of the steps it's taking to "provide green, clean energy to the nation." But climate experts and even a crucial organizer behind the deal say it will do virtually nothing to decrease carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, falling far short of neutral. -Bloomberg