Carbob offsets: Enron environmentalism or bridge to the low carbon economy?

[brettbh]

Carbon offset providers calculate the amount of CO2 emitted by common consumer activities like driving a car or going on holiday. They then calculate the cost of ‘offsetting’ the equivalent amount through funding a project designed to reduce carbon emissions such as a small-scale renewable energy or forestry scheme. If you choose to pay for this offset you can claim to have taken responsibility for your emissions and done at least a small bit to help combat climate change. What could be wrong with this?

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[Layla]

I'm a bit dubious of 'carbon offsets' too..

They may be 'better than doing nothing', but it seems that often they may be just 'lulling people into false sleep'... i.e. a false sense of 'hey, I've done something for the environment, let's drive around in my SUV now!'