We must collectively question the validity of Carbon Offsets.

A few hours ago, TedX uploaded a clip titled The Controversial Solution to Climate Change (https://lnkd.in/dcJkSmwX), the speaker, a young man named Emiel Cockx spoke about how carbon offset is a facade – a big scam of the decade! and he pitched his innovative alternative as opposed to the tape rule approach of estimating carbon capture linked to tree biomass.

illustration of how carbon offset (supposedly) works

An illustration of how carbon offset (supposedly) works, by CO2 Cards.

Here are two points I will like to build upon, based on Emiel’s presentation:

1. The validity of Carbon Offset must be questioned by those who mean well for our shared planet. We all cannot be comfortable that wealthy folks and exploitation companies use the now-widely populated concept of carbon offset as a moral justification to keep polluting the planet on the basis that they are chipping in a few dollars from their wealthy purses to support carbon offset projects in, well… under-developed/developing countries (e.g #Nigeria)

2. We must very quickly move past the aged-style data collection methods that, at best, leave us guessing and making biased estimations of how truly we are making progress (or otherwise) in protecting our planet. No doubt (and to give them their flowers), many young people are thinking and creatively churning our innovative options. Except we collectively choose to remain stuck in our old ways, these new solutions (as weird, imperfect, and expensive as they seem) should be publicly received, jointly assessed and supportively critiqued to make them function more effectively.

The dismissal of climate solutions is the dismissal of the existence of climate crises and the need for urgent #ClimateAction.

First published: https://lnkd.in/dcJkSmwX

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