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Dear Mr. Sandy
Dear,
Further to reading an article in the Scottish national
press about the plans by VisitScotland to ask tourists, who visit
Scotland to pay a voluntary fee towards making their holiday in Scotland
'carbon neutral', I feel it is urgently necessary to point out that
the proposed scheme, should it ever be introduced as reported in the
news, is unlikely to be a) successful or b) effective in dealing with
global warming.
A similar Government backed scheme was introduced
by British Airways in 2005. It was spectacularly unsuccessful because
only a very small percentage (0.05%) of passengers decided to pay
the voluntary fee.
Carbon-info.org has recently carried out a
study of the 'carbon neutral' claim, as promoted by profit orientated
'environmental' organisations. We found, as it is with most things
that sounds too good, that the claims made by the carbon offsetting
companies are unlikely to be completely true because the planting
of trees are unlikely to be able to absorb the volume of carbon dioxide
claimed.
Our study found that if a person emits 1100 kg of CO2
each year in 100 years and each year planted one tree (as instructed
by the carbon offsetting companies) to absorb the CO2, then there
would at the end of the 100 year period - making the huge assumption
that all the trees survive to maturity - be a net gain of CO2 of more
than 50 tons. Not exactly 'carbon neutral'.
(The net gain appears
because the trees are unable to absorb the CO2 as quickly as it is
emitted.)
The study and the data if available on our website:
In
closing, while Carbon-info.org support VisitScotland's effort to tackle
global warming, we find it disappointing that the effort is directed
towards carbon-offsetting and tree planting, which could be
considered little more than marketing and the easy, trendy option
for organisations, who want to market themselves as 'green' or environmentally
friendly.
There is however, a really effective way of dealing
with global warming - reduce CO2 emissions and ensure that the carbon
dioxide does not enter the atmosphere in the first place. Thinking
that we can continue our energy hungry lifestyles and, because we
can afford it, pay our way out of trouble is unfortunately false economy
and not the approach that long term will safeguard the planet.
Carbon-info.org
wishes VisitScotland good luck with the project, and hope that a more
effective and successful approach will be considered.
Kind Regards,
Paula
Bermann
Britta Pedersen
Rene Andersen
