Facing the facts: carbon offsets unmasked
A series of articles debunking the most frequently used corporate myths about carbon offsets.
These articles were published by SOMO.
This series of articles by SOMO highlights the wealth of evidence showing that carbon offsetting does not work, and debunk the most common myths about carbon offsets.
Carbon offsetting fundamentally undermine efforts to reduce emissions, protect forests, and uphold human rights. Such false solutions must be abandoned if the world is to move forward in an effective and just manner.
These articles mainly focuses on forest-based carbon offset projects, which have been the main form of carbon offsetting in the voluntary market, and points to credible and vital actions to address the climate crisis effectively while putting justice at the centre.
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Climate change is embedded in the history of colonialism and capitalism. It is important to reflect on this history in order to better understand the emergence and promotion of the carbon market.
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Myth: “Carbon offsets reduce emissions”
The carbon offset industry cannot credibly claim to reduce emissions in any significant or meaningful way. It is largely a paper exercise where calculations rely on exaggerated baselines and/or hypothetical future scenarios that cannot be proven. -
Myth: “Pricing carbon is the most efficient way to make polluters pay”
The extraction and burning of fossil fuels drive the climate crisis, not the lack of a price tag on carbon. Pricing carbon has only created a system in which industries are allowed to “pay to pollute” and maintain business as usual.
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Myth: “Flaws in carbon offsetting can be fixed”
New methodologies do not resolve the false equivalences that are hard-wired into the very DNA of the carbon offset industry, nor do they resolve the conflicts of interest in how projects are verified.
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Myth: “Carbon offsets are vital to address the climate and deforestation crises”
Carbon offsets are far from the best option for addressing climate change and deforestation. They obstruct and delay much-needed governmental regulatory action by creating an illusion of positive corporate activity.
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Myth: “Carbon offsets bring added benefits to communities”
Carbon offset projects frequently lead to abuse and often require people to give up their livelihoods and control over their territories in return for uncertain and volatile carbon market benefits.
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Myth: “Companies that offset their emissions decarbonise faster and are climate leaders”
Promotion of narratives about the good performance and “leadership” of carbon credit users on climate action is, at the very least, misleading.
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Myth: “Carbon offsets need to be scaled up to have a real impact”
Scaling up carbon offsetting will result in scaling up emissions, injustice, dispossession, human rights abuse and, for some, corporate profits.
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Numerous initiatives already exist, and many alternative climate justice proposals are being developed by governments, groups, and movements worldwide. Here we outline some ideas outside of the “carbon offsets box”.
The views and opinions expressed in the publication are those of the mentioned organisation and do not necessarily reflect the position of all Real Zero Europe members.
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