{"id":6054,"date":"2022-12-19T16:48:03","date_gmt":"2022-12-19T15:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/?p=6054"},"modified":"2023-01-09T11:45:07","modified_gmt":"2023-01-09T10:45:07","slug":"greenwashing-the-climate-disaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greens-efa.eu\/opinions\/greenwashing-the-climate-disaster\/","title":{"rendered":"Net zero pledges and carbon removals – greenwashing the climate disaster"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Instead of providing real solutions to the climate and biodiversity crisis, net zero pledges and carbon removals divert attention from real action and have negative effects on ecosystems, food security and people\u2019s rights. Michael Staniszewski<\/strong> explains why we have to end fossil fuels and protect nature instead of \u201cplanting trees\u201d for business as usual.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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\"Michael<\/figure>
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Michael Staniszewski<\/strong> is a Fridays for Future (FFF) climate justice activist from Germany. He is part of the movement\u2019s #NotMyTaxonomy campaign and actions.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>

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The climate and biodiversity crises are interconnected<\/h4>\n<\/div>
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We need to understand that we cannot solve one without the other.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Now businesses have found a way to link them in a way that does not serve either. They pretend they will stop harming the climate and help bring back nature, but are bound to fail on both accounts.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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<\/a>Protecting business as usual – how net zero pledges ignore science and nature<\/strong><\/h4>\n<\/div>
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Scientists trying to model a world in which our lives and economic system remain mostly unchanged yet produce no greenhouse gas emissions have found that some sectors will face real problems. They say not only must we do as much as we can to reduce emissions, but we must also absorb and store emissions to get to net zero<\/a>. For the latter, nature is key. Peatlands, forests or seagrass beds – they are all so-called \u2018carbon sinks\u2019 (which naturally absorb carbon) and are crucial in the fight against the climate crisis.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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But, there is a problem. Global corporations have been more than happy to go down the net zero route. From fossil fuel giants, like TotalEnergies, Shell and BP, to multi-million dollar corporations, like British Airways<\/a>, Coca Cola and Nestl\u00e9,<\/a> a large number of businesses are making net zero emission commitments. Doesn’t sound sketchy at all, right?<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Net zero emissions commitments – Source Friends of the Earth International report 2022<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>
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These corporations won\u2019t be drastically changing their business model. Instead, they reckon that they can continue to cause more emissions and have them \u201coffset\u201d by others.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Their pledges divert attention from the need to radically reduce their emissions. And they also \u201cmake the politics, violence, social and ecological destruction of fossil fuel burning and industrial farming invisible\u201d<\/a>, say Friends of the Earth.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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The companies want to look good without doing good. They want to continue hurting the climate whilst telling us that they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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<\/a>The carbon offset scam <\/strong>    <\/h4>\n<\/div>
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The \u2018carbon offset credits\u2019 these companies rely on can be generated in two ways. They either come from projects that aim to \u201cprevent, avoid or reduce emissions\u201d, or from projects that aim to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. So far, most projects fall under the category of \u2018avoided emissions<\/a>\u2019, such as \u2018avoided deforestation\u2019. It\u2019s simple – a forest that could be cut down will not be cut down, or so project developers claim. And somehow this counts as saving carbon emissions! What\u2019s more, the carbon savings from such projects are usually exaggerated.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Carbon Offsets: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO).<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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