'carbon-neutral' originates from the combination of 'carbon' and 'neutral,' where 'carbon' refers to carbon dioxide emissions and 'neutral' means having no net increase.

'carbon-neutral' emerged in the late 20th century as environmental awareness grew, combining 'carbon' from the element and 'neutral' from Latin 'neutralis.'

Initially, it meant 'having no net carbon emissions,' and this meaning has remained consistent in modern usage.