Is it really a good idea to send people on a guilt trip so that they will voluntarily buy carbon offsets to compensate for a lifestyle that pumps too much carbon into the atmosphere? I think not. We don't pay government taxes so that we can feel good, we pay them because they cover some of the costs of modern lifestyle choices. Carbon emissions are also a consequence of lifestyle choices, so if we agree that they cause environmental damage, why should paying for the damage be voluntary?
The US has taken the voluntary approach to the carbon credit market, and it's starting to look like a free-for-all money grab that can't be justified on the grounds that it's a consciousness-raising exercise to encourage people to live responsibly, as some have argued. On the contrary, the message is that business as usual is OK, and it's all very confusing and wishy-washy, and why are you bothering me with this anyway?
The challenge with carbon is that it's not like a poison that is clearly harmful in any dose. It's a natural part of our ecosystem, so it's taking some time for us to reach consensus on how much can be in the atmosphere without causing irreparable damage. And what do we mean by irreparable? Can we prove we're being irresponsible? Some say we already have, some say not.
What about the new roads your taxes are paying for? Can the transport planners convince everyone that the science says - without any doubt - that those roads are necessary? No, they cannot. In any given city, there are many arguments and counter arguments among professionals who dispute the conclusions drawn from the science of traffic forecasting. I may be lynched for saying this, but transport planning debates are laced with intuition, gut feel, tradition and politics that cloud the heart and mind.
If something as concrete and essential as road planning can be debated despite the science, how can we expect the complex carbon debate to be resolved through science alone? The burden of proof should not rest on the shoulders of climate scientists and others investigating the impacts of carbon emissions. We just have to make some choices - either we believe there are impacts, or we don't - and having decided, we should act accordingly as individuals, communities, governments and global humanity. Payment is not optional.
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