A new green organisation said it aimed to make Bermuda the first carbon-neutral country in the world.

Climate Wise, founded by entrepreneur Stephen Castree, said the organisation would allow companies and individuals to fund international projects that offset their carbon footprint.

Mr Castree said: “This is a global initiative.

“International businesses are based in Bermuda and international people live in Bermuda.

“With only 60,000 people, while we have to fly from our island home, we can offset this relatively cheaply and stop contributing to the problem.”

Projects eligible for funding on climate-wise.com include the erection of wind turbines in India and Indonesia, the donation of environmentally friendly cooking stoves in Peru and support for the Clean Air Task Force.

Mr Castree said: “Projects are selected based on their reporting and transparency, so that we are able to actively monitor the impact being made.”

He added that 90 per cent of all funds received go to the projects and ten per cent was used to run the organisation.

Mr Castree said the organisation had UK Community Interest Company status and a charity application in Britain was pending.

He added he hoped the organisation could spark a global movement of companies, individuals and families using the platform to offset their environmental impact.

Mr Castree said: “We would challenge individuals to offset themselves, businesses to offset its staff, and schools to make it their mission that they, along with their student bodies, are all offset.”

Mr Castree warned: “This challenge is time-critical. It is of little use pointing fingers to demand change — change is needed now, and it is needed at the individual level. Individuals can, and must, make a difference.”