Ahhhhh. A topic that has been making my blood boil for a few years now. You explain it so well Sarah. But it's a hard read for most, I suspect. Hard to get engagement with this level of nitty gritty.
And if we're finding it hard to deal with understanding carbon offsets just wait till the new kid on the block arrives, any minute now. Biodiversity offsets. Oh yeah. I think they've already started. Same pedigree as the carbon units, no doubt.
Thank you as always for striding into the shit show with such sane ferocity. x
FARK...I don't think I can write up another one of these! It might not be a bad thing if it brings attention to the biodiversity issue...which is the next cab off the rank, esp for Australia.
I'm thinking about trying to do some infographics for the offsets insanity. Requires a smarter brain and better illustrator than myself but I'm going to give it a go.
Brilliant gritty post thanks! I do get frustrated though that the solutions are still so centred around a society that consumes too much. Idealistic I know but isn’t that only actual way, consume less, slow down , share what precious resources we have left fairly. It sure is one big mind f***
Such good information Sarah. We’ll done for navigating the Royal cluster fuck of it all!
I work at La Trobe Uni and had a long chat with a leading climate law researcher there Julia Dehm (she’s worth looking up) about this exact topic recently and she said the legal structure just doesn’t exist yet around regulating carbon and there is so much to do in this space to hold corporations and governments accountable.
BDUs (biodiversity units) add a whole extra layer of complexity to the issue I agree. At the moment there are just no instruments to regulate any of this. Yet more greenwashing.
Thanks for cutting through the crap as always. Cheers Chloe
Finally got round to reading and watching this post! Thanks so much Sarah and Polly for unpacking part of this absolute shitstorm. Would be interested to hear Sarah if you have done much research into the building industry and their goals for "net zero buildings". Currently studying my masters in Architecture and recently did some research looking into how/ if it is actually possible to achieve this. Its an industry that flies under the radar at the moment and for something that makes up 40% of carbon emmissions makes me absolutely terrified about what would happen if we didn't do anything about it. Especially because building stock globally is also set to double by 2050.
Again thankyou for making this issue clearer in non bullshit terms :)
Ahhhhh. A topic that has been making my blood boil for a few years now. You explain it so well Sarah. But it's a hard read for most, I suspect. Hard to get engagement with this level of nitty gritty.
And if we're finding it hard to deal with understanding carbon offsets just wait till the new kid on the block arrives, any minute now. Biodiversity offsets. Oh yeah. I think they've already started. Same pedigree as the carbon units, no doubt.
Thank you as always for striding into the shit show with such sane ferocity. x
FARK...I don't think I can write up another one of these! It might not be a bad thing if it brings attention to the biodiversity issue...which is the next cab off the rank, esp for Australia.
I'm thinking about trying to do some infographics for the offsets insanity. Requires a smarter brain and better illustrator than myself but I'm going to give it a go.
Brilliant gritty post thanks! I do get frustrated though that the solutions are still so centred around a society that consumes too much. Idealistic I know but isn’t that only actual way, consume less, slow down , share what precious resources we have left fairly. It sure is one big mind f***
Me too. But sadly there isn't the time to create a new system. We are stuck in capitalism, so we have to find ways to game the system that exists.
This was an amazing post! Thanks so much for making it so much clearer (albeit scarier!) for us!! Go you!!
You're welcome. In part I do them to get clear myself.
To be fair, Bank Australia now does not offer car loans for new petrol cars, only EVs.
This is true and fair!
Such good information Sarah. We’ll done for navigating the Royal cluster fuck of it all!
I work at La Trobe Uni and had a long chat with a leading climate law researcher there Julia Dehm (she’s worth looking up) about this exact topic recently and she said the legal structure just doesn’t exist yet around regulating carbon and there is so much to do in this space to hold corporations and governments accountable.
BDUs (biodiversity units) add a whole extra layer of complexity to the issue I agree. At the moment there are just no instruments to regulate any of this. Yet more greenwashing.
Thanks for cutting through the crap as always. Cheers Chloe
Finally got round to reading and watching this post! Thanks so much Sarah and Polly for unpacking part of this absolute shitstorm. Would be interested to hear Sarah if you have done much research into the building industry and their goals for "net zero buildings". Currently studying my masters in Architecture and recently did some research looking into how/ if it is actually possible to achieve this. Its an industry that flies under the radar at the moment and for something that makes up 40% of carbon emmissions makes me absolutely terrified about what would happen if we didn't do anything about it. Especially because building stock globally is also set to double by 2050.
Again thankyou for making this issue clearer in non bullshit terms :)
Hi Pip, you might like to go see Joost's Greenhouse by Joost film. It talks a lot about architectural solutions.
Thanks Sarah!! I will have a look! Always love getting recommendations :)
Thanks for this detailed breakdown, much appreciated.
You’ve summed this up so well.
It’s a real mind fuck…which I think suits BIG INDUSTRY, because that way most people put it in the ‘too hard’ basket.
Do you click the ‘offset my emissions’ button on a flight Sarah?
I never know! Is it better to pay for the offset in hopes that is does some good or are we just feeding the beast?
I just watched the video after writing that comment 🤦♀️
Love the idea of doing a separate donation to someone that’s actually doing good… do you or Polly have any suggestions for charities/organisations?
You could start with Groundswell
Or just kick in a few dollars to the women's' rangers program https://womenrangers-sarahwilson.raisely.com