From Gucci to the Royal Family, carbon offsetting has gained traction as a popular way to combat the climate crisis but can we buy a clean conscience or footprint?
Carbon offsetting involves making an ‘equivalent’ carbon dioxide saving elsewhere, frequently used to counteract long-haul travel. Companies such as Co2nsensus and Offset calculate your carbon footprint and offer a range of projects to donate to. A return flight from London to New York, for example, could be offset for $53.64, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of firewood from non-renewable sources by replacing cookstoves across Kenya.
The idea has appealed to celebrities, brands and governments. Elton John defended Harry and Meghan’s controversial private jet flight to France by detailing its carbon neutrality on Twitter, Gucci declared itself ‘carbon neutral’ in a press release earlier this month, planning to offset emissions throughout their supply chain, and the government outlined £30-40 Million in annual funds for carbon offsetting.
Co2nsensus claims this is a way to fight climate change ‘without reducing your standard of living’, but Communications Officer Bekir Cetin admits ‘you have to offset 100% of your carbon footprint’ to create a real impact.
Penny Walker, an independent facilitator working in the sustainability field, finds herself asking ‘is that going to help us get there fast enough?’. Walker stresses ‘if you really want to do your bit to fight climate change, you absolutely have to reduce first’. With Statista reporting a minimum 5% growth in air traffic passenger demand every year since 2010 [1], it seems precarious to rely on carbon offsetting to reduce our carbon footprints. Instead, she suggests joining the flight free 2020 pledge, the campaign aiming to attract the government’s attention and provoke change on a collective scale.
To join the flight free 2020 pledge visit: https://www.flightfree.co.uk/pledge.