The science is clear: Human-caused global warming is a reality.
Now it's time to focus on solutions. We need strong leadership from our governments in setting firm greenhouse gas reduction targets, and we need to look at a range of policies and practices.
There's no legitimate argument about whether the problem exists, but there is still some debate about the best ways to tackle it.
Take carbon offsets. Some people compare them to "indulgences" granted by the church allowing sinners to avoid punishment for some transgressions.
Others argue that offsets can be one of many legitimate tools used to tackle climate change, and that high-quality carbon offsets can result in real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
A carbon offset is a credit for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions generated by one project, such as a solar-power installation, that can be used to cancel out the emissions from another source. Carbon offsets are typically measured in tonnes of CO2 or their equivalent.
Those who buy offsets are essentially investing in other projects that reduce emissions on their behalf, either because they are unable to do so themselves or because it is too expensive to make their own reductions.
Carbon offsets that are real, additional, and permanent can have a direct, positive impact on the climate. And they can create some other important benefits. They provide money for much-needed renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, which can help move society away from fossil fuels and toward a clean-energy economy. Buying carbon offsets can also help to deal with emissions that aren't currently covered by government regulations, such as international air travel.
Carbon offsets alone won't solve climate change. But the problem of climate change is so massive that it requires a whole range of solutions, and offsets can be part of that.
-- Science Matters is a provocative weekly column by David Suzuki and Foundation science director Faisal Moola. Take David Suzuki's Nature Challenge and learn more at davidsuzuki.org
