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Is Carbon Offsetting a Con? The Prosecution Case

There has been much recent interest in 'carbon offsetting' - the idea that companies and individuals can ‘offset’ their carbon dioxide emissions by buying into low carbon projects such as renewables, energy efficiency and, most controversially, tree planting.

George Monbiot certainly does not mince his words when it comes to offset schemes. Writing in the Guardian, he likened offsetting to the 15th Century Dutch practice of paying for God’s pardon for crimes such as incest, lying or murder.

Back in July, the right-on magazine New Internationalist dedicated a whole issue, entitled “CO2NNED!”, to a demolition job on the offsetting industry, presenting their case with all the subtlety of a tabloid newspaper pursuing a suspected paedophile.