LONDON, March 20 (Reuters) - Amazon ( AMZN ) has begun selling

carbon credits to its suppliers, business customers and other

companies, the U.S. retail giant said, which can be used to

offset their climate-damaging carbon emissions.

The launch comes amid a major debate between companies,

project developers and scientists about the extent to which

carbon credits should be used to help companies reduce their

emissions, as well as how to ensure the credits' quality.

The retailer said it used industry-leading standards where

possible for its credits, and supported the development of

rigorous standards where existing checks were inadequate.

The move marks Amazon's ( AMZN ) first foray into selling credits,

though it has been involved in industry efforts to set quality

standards and directly invests in projects including those to

protect forests, restore degraded land and advance carbon

removal.

Its chief sustainability officer, Kara Hurst, said the firm

will use its "size and high vetting standards to help promote

additional investments in nature".

Several companies including Flickr, real estate advisory

group Seneca and consumer electronics company Corsair are

already participating in the scheme, it said in a statement late

on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, an influential initiative helping companies set

decarbonisation targets, the Science-Based Targets initiative,

said carbon credits could be used by companies but should be

limited to residual emissions - the small slice left after the

company has made best efforts to cut them.

However, it stopped short of endorsing their more widespread

use in meeting decarbonisation targets.

The Bezos Earth Fund, set up by Amazon ( AMZN ) founder Jeff Bezos,

was a major supporter of SBTi until November 2023, when its $18

million grant to the group was not renewed.

Amazon ( AMZN ) said its credits will be available to companies that

meet conditions including having a net-zero target covering

their own emissions as well as those across their supply chain,

and that measure and publicly report their greenhouse gas

emissions.