Carbon Paradoxes
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Day 19: Ideologies Paradox
How is it possible that climate campaigners and fossil fuels lobbyists sometimes form alliances to bring down pragmatic climate action? This is the paradox we explore today. Climate action…
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Day 18: Crowds Paradox
The power of large groups to influence society is typically impressive: whether in music, sports, protests, or celebrations, crowds often amplify impact. Have you ever participated in a “critical…
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Day 17: Novelty Paradox
Today’s paradox investigates why we tend to be more enthusiastic about unproven climate solutions rather than proven ones. Many innovative climate technologies are still in early development and far…
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Day 16: Control Paradox
This is one of the shortest but most tricky paradoxes. Yes or no, should you fully control how the money is spent on the ground when you buy carbon…
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Day 15: Standards Paradox
Yesterday, we discussed a paradox around methodologies and science. Today’s paradox deals with the Standards. Everyone agrees: Quality and integrity are key for carbon credits. Not surprisingly, there is…
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Day 14: Science Paradox
Today’s paradox focuses on a question that has haunted carbon markets since their inception: We all want “scientifically proven” results. The problem is, science evolves. Science isn’t about absolutes.…
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Day 13: Avoidance Paradox
There are two main ways to tackle greenhouse gasses. One is to remove them from the atmosphere–by, say, planting new trees–and the other is to prevent them from getting…
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Day 12: Voluntary Paradox
Imagine you donate $100 to a charity. Instead of sending a “thank you” card, the charity replies: “Why didn’t you give $200?” This is the essence of the voluntary…
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Day 11: Leakage Paradox
Today, we talk about unintended consequences of well-intended investments – the “spillover effect”. Imagine you buy a forest or a logging concession to protect the trees instead of cutting…
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Day 10: Claims Paradox
Today’s paradox deals with “climate claims”. When companies set bold climate goals but fall short, “greenwashing” accusations are almost inevitable—even if the intentions are genuine. One way to navigate…
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Day 9: Perfection Paradox
Here’s a paradox so prominent it’s become a cliche: the perfect is the enemy of the good. Few decisions we make are based on certainty. They’re all based on…
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Day 8: Ambitions Paradox
Today’s paradox is for climate policy fans. It concerns the role of carbon credits within the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement mandates governments to increase their emission reduction ambitions…
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Day 7: Additionality Paradox
A full week has passed, and we haven’t discussed additionality yet. Today, we need to catch up. A project can only earn carbon credits if considered “additional.” This means…
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Day 6: Offset Paradox
Today, we face a familiar debate: Is carbon offsetting a vital component of a holistic climate strategy that incentivises emission reductions—or is it merely a distraction, potentially substituting real,…
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Day 5: Communities Paradox
Today, we focus on one of the most sensitive topics around carbon credits. Local and Indigenous communities play a crucial role as guardians of the landscape and the forests.…
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Day 4: Speed Paradox
Today’s paradox is short, as we talk about speed. When it comes to funding a forestry project – in fact, any impactful project – timing is everything. Here is…
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Day 3: Ethics Paradox
Today’s paradox touches on ethics. Is it morally right to put a price on nature? Is it ethically correct to use capitalism, which caused much of the climate crisis,…
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Day 2: Polluters Paradox
Today’s paradox deals with another head-scratcher. Who should buy carbon credits? At first glance, the answer seems obvious: the biggest polluters! After all, they’re at the heart of the…
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Day 1: Baseline Paradox
We start with a paradox that has puzzled forest advocates from the start: You can only earn carbon credits from forestry projects if you restore degraded trees or protect…
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Intro to Carbon Paradoxes
Climate change is one of the most monumental challenges facing our society. Carbon credits were initiated to help funding the transition: Put a price on your remaining carbon emissions…
