Offsets - Dangerous Diversion or Essential Tool - Climate Optimists

Opportunities to Make a Difference

Option 1 - Tell Congress to pass the FORESTS Act

Forests are a natural carbon offset, sequestering huge amounts of CO2
Deforestation increased last year despite many country's pledge to end deforestation by 2030

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Option 2 - Buy double the carbon offsets you need and buy from reputable sources

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‍Sources

The US interior Department is increasing the cost of drilling on Federal lands.

Royalty rates for drilling haven't changed since 1920, and with this decision, they jump from 12.5% to 16.7%.

Minimum auction bids rise from 2$/acre to $10/acre and bond sizes for drilling companies increase as well.

There are currently ~3.5 million abandoned oil and gas wells in the U.S. alone.

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Carbon offsets at Tradewater

Tradewater targets halocarbons (think refrigerants) and methane leaks (abandoned oil wells and more)
These two greenhouse gases are more potent than CO2
Older refrigerants are super pollutants, some with a global warming potential thousands of times higher than CO2
Methane has a global warming potential over 25 times higher than CO2

Other

Avoiding companies buying offsets without cutting emissions