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b'Carbon neutral. Climate positive. Carbon negative. Net zero. Today, it\'s no longer enough for an environmentally conscious brand or retailer to simply be "sustainable." And no wonder: The fashion industry is responsible for anywhere between 4 percent to 10 percent of the world\\u2019s carbon emissions, depending on the source\\u2014too much, no matter how you look at it.\\n\\nBut what do these terms mean, exactly? What is this "hierarchy of mitigation" companies like Gucci are talking about? And are businesses, by purchasing offsets to neutralize their emissions, simply "paying to pollute"?\\n\\nIn this episode of the Sustaining Voices podcast, Sourcing Journal reporter Jasmin Malik Chua speaks with Pauline Op de Beek, who engages with the apparel sector for The Carbon Trust and Saskia van Gendt, head of sustainability at Rothy\\u2019s, about fashion\'s burgeoning impact and the role that carbon neutrality can play in promoting a planet-friendlier fashion.\\n\\nIndeed, carbon neutral declarations have ramped up over the past couple of years. H&M wants to become climate positive by 2040; the G7 Fashion Pact, a coalition of 150 brands, from Adidas to Prada, have pledged to collectively achieve net-zero emissions by 2050; and Allbirds slapped a carbon tax on itself to neutralize its own footprint. There\\u2019s a reason for this trend.\\n\\n\\u201cI think carbon neutral declarations are, in part a response to the urgency of climate change, but also the increased awareness around fashion\\u2019s footprint,\\u201d van Gendt explained. \\u201cAnd in the past, I think companies could be wasteful because there was no reason for them not to be\\u2014the awareness was low. But now both consumers and companies themselves are becoming much more aware of fashion\\u2019s footprint.\\u201d\\n\\nAt the same time, brands and retailers should be careful of brandishing the term like a talisman that solves all of fashion\'s ills. \\u201cI think the main thing is that it is part of a wider strategy,\\u201d Op de Beek said. Carbon, she noted, is not the be-all and end-all of a sustainability strategy. \\u201cIn and of itself, it is a continuously evolving process where companies move to reduce their emissions year on year,\\u201d she added. \\u201c[But it is also about] driving change throughout the supply chains and changing the way we interact with our apparel when it comes to the use and end of life. And that kind of business change is what we really need to focus on.\\u201d\\n\\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices'