Carbon Trade Watch Lodges Complaint over Carbon Neutral Claims

Carbon Trade Watch Lodges Complaint over Carbon Neutral Claims
Environmentalists Cry Foul at Rock Stars, "Polluting Companies" "Carbon-Neutral" Claims
TNI Press Release, 6 May 2004

An extended version of this press release is available in PDF

Today, Carbon Trade Watch and several of its partner organisations lodged complaints with the British Advertising Standards Authority about two companies claims that their tree-planting services can 'offset' pollution from their clients activities. The companies Future Forests and Climate Care claim that their tree-planting and other services can 'neutralise' the carbon dioxide emitted by people's activities which is a misleading claim. Carbon Trade Watch and its partners also sent letters to the companies clients who include pop groups Coldplay, Atomic Kitten and Simply Red as well as fossil fuel corporations and official bodies, requesting that they reconsider their relationship with these companies.

The scientifically dubious practice of planting trees to compensate for pollution has become increasingly popular as the action of choice when combating climate change in the UK. Companies such as Future Forests sell branded carbon offset products to promote so-called CarbonNeutral™ living. They offer a consumer the possibility to take CarbonNeutral™ flights, CarbonNeutral™ driving, live in CarbonNeutral™ homes, and be a CarbonNeutral™ citizen, by planting trees which theoretically fix carbon from the atmosphere. The allure of offset culture is understandable. Corporations, ever conscious of cost and image, seek quick-fix solutions that do not require radical changes to fundamental business practice.

However there are many problems with this approach. 'Offset' schemes typically do not challenge the destructive consumption ethic, which literally drives the fossil fuel economy. These initiatives also provide 'moral cover' for consumers of fossil fuels or nuclear energy. Further the scientific basis for the schemes is highly controversial and hotly debated. Ultimately this 'offset' culture distracts attention away from the fundamental changes that are urgently necessary if we are to achieve a more sustainable and just future.