Are carbon offsets a genuine climate solution or just a convenient accounting trick?
In short: Carbon credits are central to many net-zero strategies, yet they spark intense debate. This lecture examines whether offsetting truly compensates for emissions or if it merely masks the problem, questioning who defines which emissions are unavoidable.
Myles Allen, Director of the Oxford Net Zero initiative and Frank Jackson Foundation Professor of the Environment, explores the mechanics of carbon credit markets. The discussion evaluates various climate strategies, ranging from tree-planting initiatives to broader emission compensation schemes.
Recorded on 4th March 2025 at Barnard's Inn Hall, London, the lecture addresses the tension between the efficiency promised by offsets and the reality of their implementation. Allen, a Fellow of the Royal Society and 2022 CBE recipient for his work in climate attribution and net-zero policy, provides a critical look at how we might realistically reach our climate goals.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Carbon Offsetting: Does It Really Work? - Myles Allen
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