You already know what the Carbon Footprint is, and its impact doesn’t just affect our lives but on the entire globe. However, did you also have the knowledge that you are able to purchase Carbon Credit to compensate for all the emissions that corporations and people make?
Since it is the primary accountable gas in the imbalance of the Greenhouse Effect, we need to address global warming and climate change, which are already, revealing their presence. So, if we do not change the way we are able to relate to carbon, then we’ll be facing a bleak future.
In the belief that the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere is alarming, the concept of carbon credit was created in 1997. It was based off the Kyoto Protocol.
The plan was tied in the direction of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. Countries had to cut down their emissions by 5.2 percent, as compared to the numbers recorded in 1990 and also participate more actively in environmental issues.
The objectives of nations as well as companies must be designed to reduce carbon emissions without the need to buy credits. Since the less purchases are required and the less carbon is required, the less carbon is released into the atmosphere.
Find out more about the benefits of carbon credit , in addition to its advantages and disadvantages in this article.
What Produces Carbon?
Photosynthesis is the most well-known method of making carbon. Living organisms absorb solar energy and carbon dioxide from the air, and transform the CO2 into oxygen. When breathing and decomposition of living things carbon is also released.
Carbon is produced by terrestrial, aquatic plant, animal and human beings. These are the products that result from the process of decomposition and through the use of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil along with natural gas. Carbon production is occurring each day via pollution, deforestation, and fires.
What are the Carbon’s issues?
Carbon production started to be a problem due to the large amount of production. The process, which would be natural and balanced was intensified with human activities following the Industrial Revolution. This is the reason why the amount carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has become extremely harmful.
The emissions that are released into the atmosphere disrupt the dynamics of natural warming on Earth. Instead of having an ideal greenhouse effect, which is essential to maintain a balanced temperature across the globe We must be aware of overheating as the higher levels of gases responsible for this process keeps the heat from escaping out into space.
The increase in greenhouse gases changes the entire ecosystem on Earth and causes global warming. Overheating can cause changes in the climate around the globe. Our whole lifestyle is linked to the seasons, too much or too little rain. Intense heat and extreme cold are a couple of details that totally alter the environment on Earth.
We therefore follow drastic modifications like:
melting glaciers;
Droughts and floods;
loss of biodiversity;
volcanoes erupting, etc.
What is Carbon compensation?
There are efforts to reduce carbon emissions. However, some emissions are not a choice. However, they can be compensated or neutralized by investing are made in actions to equalize the amount of carbon emitted.
A carbon credit is one tonne of carbon dioxide not released into the atmosphere. The price varies, and currently, in Brazil it’s about R$2000. Countries can buy and sell carbon credits, as do businesses. But this market shouldn’t be seen as a solution to emitting carbon in a hurry. It is quite the opposite.
Carbon compensation is possible by taking small steps in your daily life, like the reduction of energy use. Being a green lifestyle is a good way to offset carbon, so you can:
recycle;
picking one or two days a week not to eat meat on a particular day;
reconsider the usage of the car;
Have a conscious consumption
in comparison to other.
Changes made by businesses on a regular basis need to be considered in conjunction with the changes that are made by individuals.
Companies must opt for sustainable infrastructure, maintaining ecological awareness and even encouraging employees to take environmental action. In addition, they need to consider various forms of compensation, such as the purchase of carbon credits with Axsess.
Another option for businesses is to promote planting trees and to create green areas. People can also participate in this green movement and even support organizations that encourage sustainable actions. Carbon compensation is a reality that must be considered by all in order to avoid environmental damage to the species on Earth.
Read our article What can a carbon footprint be? and how it impacts your life. In it, you’ll be able to learn more about carbon and the impact of carbon on your daily life. The book also contains details that can help curb the emissions of greenhouse gases.
Who can offset carbon emissions?
CO2 emissions are neutralized by companies and people.
It is now more typical for businesses to be involved in the process of neutralizing emissions and purchasing carbon credits. Some of the biggest global corporations participate in this initiative, including Apple, Google, Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz and Unilever. It was in Brazil, Natura put into the practice of its Carbon Neutral Program in 2007.
Businesses are understanding the connection between environmental concerns and economic prosperity. Therefore, in addition to investing in sustainable initiatives, they are also creating carbon neutralization targets. Projects can be as varied as is possible, and they could include:
the investment in renewable energy;
zero waste;
Create biodegradable materials
the creation of eco-friendly cars;
create a sustainable production chain;
among others.
Along with the activities and changes that happen within the production cycle of businesses, some companies make investments in the acquisition and the sale of carbon credits which are now a brand new currency on the financial markets. One carbon credit is equivalent to one ton of carbon dioxide that hasn’t been released into the atmosphere.
Countries are also involved in the effort to eliminate emissions. As in companies, their actions need to be thought out in a way that is sustainable. In addition, they could take part in the carbon credit market.
Benefits of Carbon Credit Carbon Credit
As was mentioned previously every carbon credit equates to a ton of carbon that was not released into the atmosphere. This means that being able to purchase the credits is an advantage. A country or company who doesn’t see alternatives to reduce emissions sees a benefit in the purchase of this credit.
For some countries, organizations and even companies, the profit is in the sale of carbon credits since they are institutions that manage to reduce the use of carbon. They enhance their economies by providing the value to invest in the green activities they plan to develop.
Purchase of carbon-based credits from companies who are eco-conscious enhances their image. Sometimes the company behaves sustainably however, there is an amount of carbon it cannot stop emitting. In this case the purchase of credit shows how much the company considers encouraging sustainable actions.
Disadvantages of Carbon Credit
The primary drawback to the carbon credit is precisely in the exchange market. Certain organizations and countries are able to accommodate themselves in the market and continue to emit their greenhouse gasses. They don’t invest in initiatives to limit emissions because they can purchase unlimited credits.
In this situation in this scenario, the reduction of one ton of carbon, which is, 1 credit, will never be enough. Because, in the end, somebody will use the entire ton, and it won’t be a real emission reduction. It’s a drawback that causes much controversy between environmentalists and world leaders.
The use of carbon credit also needs to be considered in a sustainable way. It is an alternative for emergency needs, not to rest on the fact that the other has saved.
Everybody’s attention should be focused on cutting carbon dioxide emissions. In this way, you be in a position to stop the negative impacts caused by global warming.
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