Artist Louise Buck stated that the simple option of carbon offsets for air travel is a form of greenwashing, and the carbon offset itself does not exist.
After all, such light and cheap schemes, although they perform an important function, cannot effectively and timely compensate for newly accumulated carbon emissions, Buck wrote in her blog on The Art Newspaper.
In recent years, passengers have been able to pay someone else to reduce or eliminate emissions to offset the carbon generated by the flight.
"Compensation is a simple salve for many carbon-burdened consciences, and airlines now make it particularly easy by offering 'absolution' in the form of a convenient donation box that can be placed when purchasing a plane ticket, or a convenient payment receipt for passengers on board Some airlines even claim that these passenger compensations will make their flights completely 'carbon neutral,'" Buck writes.
However, companies may use inaccurate emissions calculations and data. Greenpeace's investigation found that such loans are based on faulty systems and false predictions of the future that have little or no impact on the current situation.
Many organizations generate such credits to support zero-emissions commitments.
Buck explained that a planted tree will begin to absorb carbon after several decades, but it may die sooner. In addition, it is necessary to choose the right type of tree for the soil and exclude the possibility of increasing the monoculture plantation, which causes other problems.
Buck noted that there are a number of offset certification schemes, but most rely on long-term future carbon reductions. However, humanity needs to halve global emissions over the next 10 years to avoid the most catastrophic climate and environmental scenarios.
"Instead of hoping for a win-win scheme that will magically neutralize our carbon, it's more realistic to fund projects that will have the most immediate strategic impact, whether that's keeping fossil fuels in the ground, protecting and expanding forests and wetlands, or transitioning to climate-friendly agriculture", she writes.
Organizations like Client Earth, Solar Aid, Art to Acres, the AgroEcology Fund or the Forest People Program won't make emissions disappear, but they offer an effective way to take responsibility for the inevitable production of greenhouse gases and help accelerate the broader systemic changes that need to happen for a cleaner, more sustainable world.
Buck also stressed that despite donating to strategic carbon funds, nothing compares to the environmental benefits of people flying less.
She also advised that if a flight cannot be avoided, travel in economy class, because first class creates about five times more carbon.
Earlier, EcoPolitic wrote, that European fuel producers can produce 1.83 million tons of e-kerosene in 2030 and save almost 5 million tons of CO2.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, the LATAM airline, Chile, reached an agreement with the world's leading airlines to explore opportunities removal of CO2 from the atmosphere using a system of direct capture and storage of carbon in the air.
