Summary / Synopsis
La conférence de Doha renforce la crise climatique
[Réseau Action Climat, 08/12/2012]
La conférence de Doha renforce la crise climatique Le Réseau Action Climat – France (RAC-F) est une association loi de 1901 spécialisée sur le thème des changements climatiques Suite
Durban : l'Union européenne a-t-elle signé la défaite du climat ?
[Maxime Combes, 10/12/2001]
Durban : l'Union européenne a-t-elle signé la défaite du climat ? Economiste de formation, Maxime Combes est membre de l'Aitec et d'Attac et est engagé dans le cadre du projet Echo des Alternatives Suite
Climat : sueurs froides et accords tièdes à Durban
[Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme, 13/12/2001]
Climat : sueurs froides et accords tièdes à Durban Créée en 1990 par Nicolas Hulot, la Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme (FNH) a pour objectif de modifier les comportements individuels et collectifs pour préserver notre planète. Organisation non... Suite
Did Cancun Prove the UN Irrelevant in Tackling Climate?
[Fred Pearce, 16/12/2010]
Did Cancun Prove the UN Irrelevant in Tackling Climate? Fred Pearce is journalist specialized in the environment and development. He was born in the United Kingdom and studied geography in the University of Cambridge. His latest book is When the Rivers... Suite
Cancun : a Mexican success
[Olivier Blond, 11/12/2010]
Cancun : a Mexican success The chief editor of GoodPlanet Info’s website created Le Courrier International’s green page and took part in the creation of the TV programme Vu du Ciel on the French television channel, France2.... Suite
What to expect from the Cancun climate change conference
[Denis Loyer, 24/11/2010]
What to expect from the Cancun climate change conference Denis Loyer is a climate adviser at the Agence française de développement, AFD. AFD is France’s development bank. Suite
Why scientists must be the new climate sceptics
[New Scientist, 04/03/2010]
Why scientists must be the new climate sceptics New Scientist was founded in 1956, this internationally-focused weekly British magazine aims at giving readers exhaustive information on recent worldwide developments in science from a scientific,... Suite
Overcoming the Copenhagen Failure
[Joseph E. Stiglitz, 06/01/2009]
Overcoming the Copenhagen Failure Joseph Eugene Stiglitz a reçu le prix Nobel d’économie en 2003. Il a travaillé pendant des années à la Banque mondiale. Il est aussi connu pour ses ouvragest : Quand le capitalisme perd la tête et La... Suite
The UN to the Rescue on Climate Change
[Michel Rocard, 20/12/2010]
The UN to the Rescue on Climate Change Michel Rocard, former Prime Minister of France and a former leader of the Socialist Party, is a member of the European Parliament. Suite
Copenhagen - Historic failure that will live in infamy
[Joss Garman, 20/12/2009]
Copenhagen - Historic failure that will live in infamy Joss Garman est un militant écologique britannique. il est chargé de campagne à Greenpeace et a aussi participé à la fondation du mouvement Plane Stupid qui s'oppose à l'extension du trafic aérien.... Suite
Copenhagen is not the end of a noble idea
[Olivier Milhomme, 21/12/2009]
Copenhagen is not the end of a noble idea a été conseiller éditorial de la fondation GoodPlanet. Suite
Copenhagen: Seattle Grows Up
[Naomi Klein, 13/11/2009]
Copenhagen: Seattle Grows Up Figure du militantisme altermondialiste et surtout anticapitaliste depuis la sortie de No Logo en 2000, Naomi Klein est une journaliste engagée. Elle concentre son travail sur les dérives du... Suite
Why Cutting Carbon Emissions is not Enough
[Achim Steiner, 01/09/2009]
Why Cutting Carbon Emissions is not Enough Achim Steiner est le directeur exécutif du Programme des Nations Unies pour l'Environnement (PNUE). Auparavant, il a exercé de hautes fonctions à la Commission mondiale des barrages puis à l'Union... Suite
From Carbon Insolvency to Climate Dividends
[Claus Leggewie, 20/08/2009]
From Carbon Insolvency to Climate Dividends Claus Leggewie is director of the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities in Essen (KWI) and a member of the Global Change Council of Germany (WBGU). Photo : Stefan/wikipedia under Creative... Suite
Methane controls before risky geoengineering, please
[New Scientist, 25/06/2009]
Methane controls before risky geoengineering, please New Scientist was founded in 1956, this internationally-focused weekly British magazine aims at giving readers exhaustive information on recent worldwide developments in science from a scientific,... Suite
Doing Better on Climate Change
[Bjørn Lomborg, 25/05/2009]
Doing Better on Climate Change Bjørn Lomborg is an associate statistics professor at the Copenhagen Business School and former director of the Environmental Assessment in Copenhagen. He discussed his thesis of “environmental... Suite
A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
[George Monbiot, The guardian, 16/03/2009]
A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy George Monbiot is a well-known investigation reporter and columnist for the British newspaper “The Guardian” as well as a member of the BBC Wildlife magazine’s advisory board. He is also the author... Suite
The climate freeloaders: emerging nations need to act
[Fred Pearce, The guardian, 29/01/2009]
The climate freeloaders: emerging nations need to act Fred Pearce is journalist specialized in the environment and development. He was born in the United Kingdom and studied geography in the University of Cambridge. His latest book is When the Rivers... Suite
Focus on deforestation in the climate-energy negociations
[Olivier BOUYER, 31/12/2008]
Focus on deforestation in the climate-energy negociations Olivier BOUYER est Ingénieur du Génie Rural, des Eaux et Forêts. Il a participé à la conférence de Poznan (en 2008) avec la délégation française comme chargé de mission “effet de serre et forêt””... Suite
The Other Carbon Economy
[Vandana Shiva, Resurgence, 01/05/2008]
The Other Carbon Economy Vandana Shiva (India): Physicist, epistemologist, ecologist, and Indian feminist with a PhD in the philosophy of science. She founded “Navdanya,” an association which works to protect biodiversity... Suite
Carbon offsets deliver where it matters
[Martin Wright, BBC, 23/07/2007]
Carbon offsets deliver where it matters Martin Wright is the editor of Green Future Magazine, and occasional judge for the Ashden Awards for sustainable energy. Suite
Look, no carbon footprint!
[Fred Pearce, New Scientist, 09/03/2007]
Look, no carbon footprint! Fred Pearce is journalist specialized in the environment and development. He was born in the United Kingdom and studied geography in the University of Cambridge. His latest book is When the Rivers... Suite
If you go down to the woods today…
[Adam Ma’anit, 30/07/2006]
If you go down to the woods today… Adam Ma’anit is co-editor of the New Internationalist. He is the committed author of numerous publications on economic, social and environmental policies in Europe and Great-Britain. He has worked... Suite
GM crops may reduce greenhouse gases
[New Scientist, 29/01/2007]
GM crops may reduce greenhouse gases New Scientist was founded in 1956, this internationally-focused weekly British magazine aims at giving readers exhaustive information on recent worldwide developments in science from a scientific,... Suite

Voluntary, individual carbon offsetting mechanisms rest on the principle that everyone can “neutralize” equivalent tones of CO2 (CO2e) produced by their activity by financing projects that make it possible to reduce an equal amount of these emissions. Today, large quantities of carbon credits are purchased in the West by companies, government authorities, and individuals in an attempt to repaire their impact on the climate.

In Great Britain, where this practice is widespread, public debate surrounding the issue is lively. According to Adam Ma’anit, editorialist for the New Internationalist, carbon offset is an “illusion”. Ma’anit considers that offsetting mechanisms do not prevent anthropic CO2 waste into the air and clear polluters of their responsibility. The author explains that many companies, largely dependent on fossil fuels, see carbon offsetting as a means to clear themselves in the eyes of consumers without involving the companies in the more constraining system of emissions reduction.

Ma’anit encourages the transition toward a “carbon positive” system in which governments would participate in further economic reforms aiming toward reduction. Renowned British scientist Fred Pearce highlights the importance of financing relevant projects that bring a real added economic and environmental value. He also mentions the coherence of projects conducted in regions prone to high emissions rather than in developing countries despite the existence of political boundaries.

Yet, according to Martin Wright, chief editor of Green Futures Magazine, voluntary carbon offsetting is just one way to participate in the fight against global warming. He explains that current critics are reducing the efforts undertaken in developing countries, intended to make daily life easier for thousands of people and reduce their energy spending.

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