This is generally correct.
The CO2 breathed out by humans is not counted in carbon calculations
So things you do physically with hand tools can be the closest thing to carbon neutral and could be carbon negative eg planting a a tree or growing vegetables.
HVO , if made from vegetable bi products like the unwanted stalks of vegetable plants or from spent cooking oil, would be a great fuel. But I believe a lot of energy is required to make it so it can never be carbon neutral.
The cutting down of rain forest to grow palms for HVO production is clearly not sustainable but this is my main worry against HVO as the fuel retailers cannot be certain of the source of the fuel on a world market. Rain forests cannot be reinstated. They are the lungs of the earth. If we remove them will will die. The suppliers must prove there is no rain forest destruction involved but I am not sure this is possible.
But really HVO if it could be proven to be truly sustainably sourced is a perfect replacement for diesel and instantly reduces emissions and thought to be not prone to bug.