Carbon Offsetting??Please show me the theory in practice.

[Pilatus]

One hears a lot about the theory of Carbon Offsetting in many industries including Agriculture.As Co2 is something I can’t see or touch how where can I get practical proof that carbon offsetting works in practice.
In theory if my tractor supposedly omits “x”amount of Co2 a year ,am I meant to think that the crops, permanent grass and woodland on my theoretical farm are meant absorb a certain amount of Co2, that may be more or less Co2 than the amount my tractor omits?
The trouble is I can’t see anything happening so how do I know the theory of Carbon Offsets work and it is not just a load of an unworkable Theory.
I am sincerely sceptical of Carbon Offsetting actually doing what scientists would have us believe.

 

[upnortheast]

Short answer, it`s a con
Why the hell should farming & the countryside bail out airlines & other big polluters

 

[roscoe erf]

f.f.s

 

[matthew]

Our grassland, hedges and woodland have suddenly become very desirable. But as you say, how do you measure?
And as I said on another thread, I have no intention of green washing someone else’s dirty laundry, so that they can carry on as before.
The other thing raising its head, is dairies and meat processors who h@ve producers on contract, using their excess credit rating to offset the company production processes.

 

[DaveGrohl]

One hears a lot about the theory of Carbon Offsetting in many industries including Agriculture.As Co2 is something I can’t see or touch how where can I get practical proof that carbon offsetting works in practice.
In theory if my tractor supposedly omits “x”amount of Co2 a year ,am I meant to think that the crops, permanent grass and woodland on my theoretical farm are meant absorb a certain amount of Co2, that may be more or less Co2 than the amount my tractor omits?
The trouble is I can’t see anything happening so how do I know the theory of Carbon Offsets work and it is not just a load of an unworkable Theory.
I am sincerely sceptical of Carbon Offsetting actually doing what scientists would have us believe.

Short answer is it has got nothing to do with scientists. It's ALL about business. Oh and politics.

 

[andybk]

Put it this way if our grassland and hedges do capture carbon, comercial companies can pay a proper commercial rate for it ,not a few crusts off the table

 

[Still Farming]

Untill you see a recognized, qualified, universally excepted Calculator we are getting no where possibly???

 

[upnortheast]

Discussion on here the other day about a model contract
30 year term
At the end of the term if there is not the correct amount of carbon to be measured the farmer has to pay the balance
There is not a barge pole long enough IMO

 

[upnortheast]

Untill you see a recognized, qualified, universally excepted Calculator we are getting no where possibly???

That is a major problem .
Seems to be a case now of select the calculator that gives the answer you want

 

[Goweresque]

Discussion on here the other day about a model contract
30 year term
At the end of the term if there is not the correct amount of carbon to be measured the farmer has to pay the balance
There is not a barge pole long enough IMO

The obvious solution is for the landowner to say to the Polluting MegaCorp™ 'You pay me £200/acre to rent it, and then you can farm it in a way that sequesters lots of lovely carbon'..........

 

[Goweresque]

Or you set up a farming company, Unicorns and Rainbows Carbon Farming Ltd, give it a 30 year FBT on your land, then it signs a contract with Polluting MegaCorp™. Pay out all the carbon payments as dividends over the years, if at the end of the contract there's not enough carbon, hey its a limited company, let it go to the wall.........

 

[holwellcourtfarm]

⁸Or you set up a farming company, Unicorns and Rainbows Carbon Farming Ltd, give it a 30 year FBT on your land, then it signs a contract with Polluting MegaCorp™. Pay out all the carbon payments as dividends over the years, if at the end of the contract there's not enough carbon, hey its a limited company, let it go to the wall.........

Nice, play the game their way.

A fairly long read but I recommend you read this right through before getting involved in offsetting:

Climate scientists: concept of net zero is a dangerous trap

Prominent academics, including a former IPCC chair, round on governments worldwide for using the concept of net zero emissions to ‘greenwash’ their lack of commitment to solving global warming.

theconversation.com

 

[DaveGrohl]

Untill you see a recognized, qualified, universally excepted Calculator we are getting no where possibly???

And one that accounts for methane properly.

 

[DaveGrohl]

The obvious solution is for the landowner to say to the Polluting MegaCorp™ 'You pay me £200/acre to rent it, and then you can farm it in a way that sequesters lots of lovely carbon'..........

What a cheap date you are.

 

[ARW]

You sell your carbon credits while being accused of killing the planet, so in theory a farm business is contributing it’s own carbon and influencing a huge company to keep pumping out carbon because they are paying the farm to sequester the carbon.
Compete rubbish

 

[Oldmacdonald]

Our grassland, hedges and woodland have suddenly become very desirable. But as you say, how do you measure?
And as I said on another thread, I have no intention of green washing someone else’s dirty laundry, so that they can carry on as before.

So is it not a bit hypocritical for us to say our hedgerows are offsetting our tractors emissions?

 

[serf]

One hears a lot about the theory of Carbon Offsetting in many industries including Agriculture.As Co2 is something I can’t see or touch how where can I get practical proof that carbon offsetting works in practice.
In theory if my tractor supposedly omits “x”amount of Co2 a year ,am I meant to think that the crops, permanent grass and woodland on my theoretical farm are meant absorb a certain amount of Co2, that may be more or less Co2 than the amount my tractor omits?
The trouble is I can’t see anything happening so how do I know the theory of Carbon Offsets work and it is not just a load of an unworkable Theory.
I am sincerely sceptical of Carbon Offsetting actually doing what scientists would have us believe.

 

[Goweresque]

What a cheap date you are.

I'm easily pleased. Index linked though of course

 

[DrWazzock]

 

[serf]

There's the definition of 2008 ....