Expert: "Carbon offsets are questionable"
Does planting a forest really offset carbon emissions?
Every year, the average American causes the emission of 20 tons of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Some are buying what are called carbon offsets to help neutralize those emissions.
Carbon offsetting companies say they’ll invest in projects that promote clean energy, or they’ll plant trees. But Ken Caldeira, a climate scientist at Stanford University calls some offsets questionalble.
Ken Caldeira: You say “ok, I’m going to plant a forest.” And then you say “ok how much carbon is stored in this forest that I planted?” And then you have to subtract off “well how much carbon would have been there had I not planted the forest?” And the difference between those two numbers is the offset.
But this “how much carbon would have been there in the absence of my actions,” it’s not a real, measureable number. It’s what do I imagine would have happened in some counterfactual situation. And when you have big businesses having lots of money depending on counterfactual realities that are completely unverifiable, this opens up all kinds of range for gaming or manipulation of systems and regulators, and I just don’t see how it’s really supposed to work.
Environmental groups are now producing consumers’ guides for carbon offsets.
When Green Raises the Heat : op–ed by Ken Caldeira (NYT)
Carbon–Neutral Is Hip, but Is It Green? by Andrew C. Revkin (NYT)
Guilt–Free Pollution. Or is it? (NYT)
Our thanks to:
Ken Caldeira
Carnegie Institution
Department of Global Ecology
Carnegie Institution of Washington
I have to say that I am a little leary of the whole “offset” concept. It seems there would be no way to verify that your money actually went for the purpose it is intended and could be ripe for massive rip offs. Also, it seems like such a “feel good” idea for those who really don’t want to give up anything and take the easy way out by off setting their extravagances. Surely there must be a better way.
Gretchie,
Carbon offsets are extremely important. They are the means by which Al Gore justifies his $300,000 utility bill. He buys them from the outfit in which he holds a large interest.
He also urges us all to buy them, in order to save the world.
We know that it’s necessary to buy them, because Al has told us that the world needs saving from human-caused global warming.
So carbon offsets are our friends. Especially, they are Al’s friends. And what’s good for Al is good for the world. ;-)
Ray
Carbon offseting means no more than paying to create savings or reduce CO2 emissions elsewhere, whilst continuing to emit CO2 yourself.
A friend of mine pointed out the other day that “that’s the same as paying someone else to take the penalty points and fine for a speeding offence that you’ve committed yourself.” (Which in the UK is highly illegal!)
In my view carbon offsetting is no more than an easy method of salving your (or a businesses) conscience.
I can’t stop global warming by planting a tree in my yard?
What has been mentioned in this whole “offset” debate is actually planting trees in some sort of verifiable manner (you get what you pay for). Unfortunately when “big business” or unscrupulous politicians get involved and slant things toward making a buck or twisitng facts to meet their agenda, nothing gets done.
The bottom line is once you plant a forest and the trees grow, there’ll always be a group ready to negate any “offset” by cutting it down to make a buck. Or the whole thing gets debated to death with who ever has the most “power” getting things accomplished the way they feel it should be, with or without regard to the final outcome.
So go plant a tree and if nothing else you’ll have a nice piece of shade, and it can’t hurt.