Greenpeace: Why carbon offsetting doesn't cut it - The World ...

Why carbon offsetting doesn't cut it · Greenpeace supports the aim to achieve net zero by 2050, but says targets are not subject to sufficient ... GlobalAgenda SDIS2021 ClimateChange Whycarbonoffsettingdoesn'tcutit Greenpeacesaysnet-zeropledgesthatuseoffsetscannotreplaceneededreductionsandfossilfuelphase-outs. Image:REUTERS/DavidSwanson 22Sep2021 JenniferMorgan StateSecretaryandSpecialEnvoyforInternationalClimateAction,FederalForeignOfficeofGermany UpLink-TakeActionfortheSDGs TakeactiononUpLink Explorecontext ClimateChange Explorethelateststrategictrends,researchandanalysis ThisarticleispartoftheSustainableDevelopmentImpactSummit Greenpeacesupportstheaimtoachievenetzeroby2050,butsaystargetsarenotsubjecttosufficientregulationorscrutiny. Greenpeacemaintainsnet-zeropledgesandoffsetscannotreplaceneededreductionsandfossilfuelphase-outs. Allstakeholders,fromgovernmenttobusinesstolocalcommunitiesandIndigenousPeoples,mustworktogetherinjustandequitablewaystourgentlysolvetheclimateandbiodiversityemergency. IntherunuptowhatneedstobethemostdefiningclimatetalkssincetheParisAgreementwasannouncedamidrapturousapplauseandtearsofrelief,wearebeinggaslitbyelitespromisingnetzerowithoutdoinganythingtoreduceemissions.Bigpolluters,alongsidegovernmentsaddictedtoputtingprofitbeforepeopleandplanet,areinturbochargemodetohoodwinkthepublicintothinkingtheyarefinallytakingtheclimateemergencyseriously. Greenpeacesupportstheaimtoachievenetzerogloballyby2050asmandatedbyscience;however,wedisputetheabuseofitbypoliticiansandcorporations,whosetargetsarenotcurrentlysubjecttosufficientregulationorscrutiny.Withoutglobalvigilancearoundnet-zeropledgesandoffsets,theyarelikelytobeusedasgreenwashinganddistractionbycompaniesthataren’tpreparedtoloseprofitstotaketheactionnecessarytohelpsolvetheclimatecrisis. Haveyouread? HowtofollowourSustainableDevelopmentImpactSummit2021 Plentyofcompanies–acrossindustriesfromfossilfuelstomeatprocessing–plussuper-richeliteshavebeenprofitingfromdirtyindustriesfordecadeswhilewreakinghavoconcommunities,climateandnature,andwideningtheinequalitygap.Thesepollutersknowtheirgameisalmostup:thegreentransitionhastohappenfortheworldtosurvive,butbeforeitis,theywanttogetasmuchastheycan. Whatthesepollutingprofiteersseeastheir“get-out-of-jail-freecard”intheclimategameisoffsetting–or,tospeakplainly,theheapofvoluntarynet-zerocommitmentsthatarebeingrolledoutalmostdaily.Nothingnew,offsettingisaboutpayingforsomeoneelsetoreduceorremovecarbon,whileyoucontinuepumpingitintotheatmosphere.It’slikeasmokersayingthey’vegivenup,butpayingahealthypersonfortheircleanlungssotheycancontinuepuffing.Offsettingishypocrisy,anditisswirlingaroundmoreandmoreasCOP26approaches. Thegovernmentsandcompaniesthatproducetwo-thirdsoftheworld’seconomicoutputhavepledgedtocutemissionstonetzerobymid-century,butveryfewhaveplansonhowtodothis.Mostthatsaytheydorelyoncarbonoffsetsordubioustechnology.Arobustandcrediblemechanismtocertifytheseemissions-bustingstrategiesismissing.So,farfromtakingtheclimateemergencyseriously,itseemsitissmokeandmirrors,wheretheworstpollutersbenefit. Net-zeropledgesbybigpollutersandbiodiversitydestroyersareunsurprisinglynotworththepapertheyarewrittenon.Voluntarycommitmentsandpublic-privatepartnershipsdonotwork–justlookathowfewofthecompaniesthatcommittedtozerodeforestationby2020actuallyachievedit. Haveyouread? Reformisnotenoughtobuildtrust–acallforsystemchange Net-zeropledgesthatuseoffsetssimplycannotreplaceneededemissionsreductionsandfossilfuelphase-outs.Theyallriskhumanrightstransgressionsanddetrimentallyimpactingalreadyvulnerablecommunities.Nature-basedoffsettingthatreliesheavilyonlanduseintheglobalsouthrisksshiftingresponsibilityforemissionsmadebywealthiernationstothosealreadystrugglingwiththeimpactsoftheclimatecrisis. Energy-relatedcarbondioxideemissionscontinuetorise. Image:Statista/IEA OffsetswillbeatthecentreoftheclimatenegotiationsthisNovemberinGlasgowwhenaglobalcarbonmarketwillbediscussed.Manydevelopingcountrieshavemadeitclearthatthenegotiationsaroundacarbonmarket,coveredunderArticle6oftheParisAgreement,shouldnotberushedjusttoachieveapoliticaloutcomeatCOP26.AglobalcarbonmarketwouldallowthepurchaseandsellingofoffsetsputtingnatureandIndigenouscommunitiesunderexcruciatingpressure.NooutcomeoncarbonoffsetmarketsunderArticle6wouldbeacceptabletosafeguard,protectandupholdhumanrights,especiallytherightsofIndigenousPeoplesandTraditionalcommunities,andtoensureenvironmentalintegrity. Whenitcomestonetzero,simpleandtransparentplansshouldbetheorderoftheday.Thesestrategiesshouldhaveseparatetargetsfordramaticreductionsinemissionsfromtheburningoffossilfuelsandotherindustrialactivities;landuseimpact,mainlyfromdeforestationandviaareductionofmeatanddairyproduction;andincreasedcommitmentsandcontributionstorights-basednatureprotectionandrestoration. Goingfurther,governmentsneedtosetbindinglawsthatholdcompaniesaccountablefortheircarbon-emittingactivities.Thiscouldleadtocorporations­–whichuponinspectionoftheircarbonaccountappeartobedestroyingtheclimate–beingsubjectedtoapenaltysystembasedontheprohibitionofthepaymentofexternaldividends.Employeesinshare-ownershipschemeswouldnotbeincluded,astheseresultsarethefruitoftheirlabour.Thefinancialassetsinvestedinclimate-destroyingeconomicactivitieswouldthereforerapidlylosevalueasthecorrespondingfallinsharepriceswouldturntheminto“strandedassets”.Andthegovernmentshareholderwouldbeevenmorecarefultoguidecompaniestowardscarbonneutrality. Timeisupformakingvoluntarycommitments:influencersmustproactivelyengageingettingtheregulationswithsanctionsinplacethatleadtothedecarbonizationandrenaturalizationofourenergysector,ourland-usesectorandourfinancialsector. Allcornersofsociety,fromgovernmenttobusinesstolocalcommunitiesandIndigenousPeoples,havetoworktogetherinjustandequitablewaystourgentlysolvetheclimateandbiodiversityemergency.Weareapartofnature,andifweprotectnature,weprotectourselves.Wedonotprotectourselveswithdangerousclimatelieslikeoffsets. WhatistheWorldEconomicForum’sSustainableDevelopmentImpactsummit? It’sanannualmeetingfeaturingtopexamplesofpublic-privatecooperationandFourthIndustrialRevolutiontechnologiesbeingusedtodevelopthesustainabledevelopmentagenda. ItrunsalongsidetheUnitedNationsGeneralAssembly,whichthisyearfeaturesaone-dayclimatesummit.Thisistimelygivenrisingpublicfears–andcitizenaction–overweatherconditions,pollution,oceanhealthanddwindlingwildlife.Italsoreflectstheunderstandingofthegrowingbusinesscaseforaction. TheUN’sStrategicDevelopmentGoalsandtheParisAgreementprovidethearchitectureforresolvingmanyofthesechallenges.Buttoachievethis,weneedtochangethepatternsofproduction,operationandconsumption. TheWorldEconomicForum’sworkiskey,withthesummitofferingtheopportunitytodebate,discussandengageontheseissuesataglobalpolicylevel. Show Share LicenseandRepublishing Writtenby JenniferMorgan,StateSecretaryandSpecialEnvoyforInternationalClimateAction,FederalForeignOfficeofGermany TheviewsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthoraloneandnottheWorldEconomicForum. UpLink-TakeActionfortheSDGs TakeactiononUpLink Explorecontext ClimateChange Explorethelateststrategictrends,researchandanalysis Subscribeforupdates Aweeklyupdateofwhat’sontheGlobalAgenda Moreon SDIS2021 Viewall Climatemigrants:whenyourhouseisnolongerhomeClimatemigrantsareincreasingacrossthedevelopingworldaspeoplestrugglewithdroughts,heatwaves,stormsonascaleneverseenbefore.SheelaPatelandAsifSaleh15Nov2021 WeneedtoworkinpartnershipwithnaturetoensureaworldthatmeetsallofourneedsIt’stimewereassesshowwetreatthenaturalworldifwearetoavoidsimilardisastersliketheCOVID-19pandemicinthefuture. 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