Our World Today

Fact - We already have the necessary tools to combat climate change. The problem isn't a lack of technology or political will. It is now merely a financial challenge. Individuals' financial interests are often misaligned with the best interests of the planet.

• Mature forests are logged for income

• Coal power plants are still being newly constructed even though renewable energy is cost-effective and provides many positive environmental benefits

• Methane is rarely sequestered at the source because of the additional investment required

In these cases, one party is acting in their own self-interest, to the detriment of the environment. There are tools to combat this misalignment. Taxes are the optimal choice, but they require consistent and coordinated global action. To date, many developed countries have passed strict environmental laws only to see jobs and carbon emissions move to countries with less strict laws. Carbon credits are an alternative that allows everyday citizens to offset their personal carbon emissions by financing carbon projects that directly sequester carbon. The net result is that fewer trees get logged, fewer coal plants need to be built and less methane is released into the atmosphere.

Carbon credits have been around since 1997 and have already financed thousands of environmental projects.