The System Of Carbon Offsetting
Carbon offsetting deals with counterbalancing greenhouse gas emissions caused with or without the knowledge of people and organizations. In this method, you take steps to nullify whatever bad effects your emissions have on the environment by preventing atmospheric pollution in some other place in the world. This way the total emissions across the globe will remain within permitted limits, which will minimize the damage to the environment.
One method to work on carbon offsetting is to participate in community drives to clean up the environment, planting many trees in your locality, or performing any task that will help lower release of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Individual action is not always possible, and hence the carbon offset system was devised, in which persons who consider themselves guilty of polluting the environment can contribute money to an organization to compensate the damage done to the environment. That organization then invests the funds in green projects running anywhere on the planet.
According to the Clean Development Mechanism for carbon offsetting under the Kyoto Protocol, companies and administrations of the first world nations pay the developing countries for making sure that total emissions do not continue increasing unabated.
Some people are of the view that the problem of harm to the environment caused by individuals is not addressed by carbon offset. In both carbon offsetting and carbon trading, you pay for the harm you caused rather than actually preventing it.
However, the supporters of theses systems argue that monetary rewards in carbon trading are sufficient to motivate companies to adopt more eco friendly methods of carrying on business. Likewise, in case of individuals, a system like carbon offset permits them to promote their environment friendly image and spread awareness about this issue. Carbon offset has been endorsed by a lot of celebrities and this has enhanced its popularity. The system has obtained huge success over the years, with several people practising it and admitting its capability in helping the environment.
