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Additional Posts in Climate Change and Sustainability
Has anyone taken the SASB FSA exams? Any advice?
Any LEED certified folks here willing to chat?
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This could be ambiguous but carbon offsets are necessary but not enough for climate efforts
Carbon offsets have been largely linked to land grabbing and human rights violations in less developed countries with no proven positive effect in emission reductions. Its cons have overweighted pros, companies that wish to reduce emissions but find it hard to do in their operation thus have turned into insetting, which is managing projects on their own to try to balance the emissions.
As the star scientist in climate science always says, carbon offshit.
Depends
Shady
In an ideal world the concept works, but in practice it's a shady industry with human rights violations, poor accountability and traceability, and questionable benefits.
As an example of what seems to work, I'm seeing better implementation in the space for renewable energy EACs for offtakers paired with renewable energy development projects, because energy tends to be more regulated than voluntary offsets like planting trees.
Good perspective.
We need them as a vehicle but the market needs a lot of improving. Should be useful as a last resort
It’s not necessarily bad, where it gets bad is when offset is the main focus. There is a hierarchy- reduce, mitigate then lastly offset.
Companies have tried to skip the first two in order to make shiny sustainability reports.
Pointless
Better than nothing?
Can easily slide into greenwashing
This is a good thread. Thanks for sharing your perspectives, folks.
Depends largely on the type of offset. If the project being used to to offset is a carbon avoidance project, then those are generally regarded as ineffective.
On the other hand, if it's a carbon removal project that's vetted (and there are plenty of CDR projects that are not high quality or suspect), then the offset would have actual impact.
Too much nuance there to answer with certainty unless the company engaged in offsetting is being transparent about how they're doing it.
I think It depends on how close you are to the project you are buying offsets in and how well you know the supply chain. How many $millions are spent buying off the shelf offsets in projects from glossy websites in places that you have never visited. Verification of science based facts is key. Embedding meaningful sustainability values in your organisation will lead to a better business, more engaged employees and a healthier planet. Verified offsets can be part of that strategy but not the answer on its own.