But of course: Cornell economist thinks carbon [fraud] offsets are "an excellent idea"

Economic View - Carbon Offsets - A Small Price to Pay for Efficiency - NYTimes.com

Dozens of companies, nonprofit and for-profit, sell carbon offsets, and some critics question how their work can be verified. But with various certification programs now in place — including the Gold Standard and Green-e Climate, to name two — there is no reason that fraud should be harder to curb in carbon-offset markets than in other domains.
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Carbon offsets, though much maligned, are an excellent idea. If you want to help reduce carbon emissions, consider buying some.

Robert H. Frank, a Cornell University economist, is a visiting faculty member at the Stern School of Business at New York University.