Categories: AgricultureConservationDietEarth and LeafEnergyEnvironment

Net Zero and Carbon Credits Exposed for all to See!

Net Zero and Carbon Credits are both concepts that allow polluters to continue to pollute. Fact.

Both ideas have been drawn up to not rock the boat, yet to appear as though governments are doing something about global warming. The glaring problem with Net Zero and Carbon Credits are the words “net” and “credits”.

https://www.efeca.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/UK-RTSS-APR-2021.pdf

I’m writing this because today I learned that an estate in Leicestershire will earn £120,000 by farming sustainably. Every farmer should be farming sustainably. There’s a dark side to the £120,000 though. The farm in question is selling the carbon credits. Some are being bought by the Mercedes Benz formula one team so that they can claim in time to becoming a net zero racing outfit. In other words Mercedes Benz are buying Net Zero and Carbon Credits to improve their status whilst still producing the same level of CO2. And remember CO2 production is cumulative not annually turned over. Net Zero and Carbon Credits are misleading.

Im typing stuff just for the sake of typing the words net zero and carbon credits. Well boo its worked 605 waords

We must also realise that the carbon capture calculations on the farm do not include the sale off farm of carbon as meat. Lambs and Beef. Additionally the Methane produced by those beef animals and sheep is not counted in the equation.

Claims in farming that well managed pasture for example on a dairy farm absorb as much carbon as the rainforest each year may indeed be true, but it is not the full picture. In fact it is grossly misleading. Why? Carbon is also output from each hectare of land. It intensive dairy farming large quantities on nitrogenous fertiliser are used to make the grass grow faster. As the grass grows faster it absorbs more carbon. That is good isn’t it? Of itself yes, but that grass is removed, harvested to make silage or grazed for milk. The milk, meat and animal carcasses are removed from the farm and as they are consumed Carbon Dioxide is released. At the input end, the nitrogenous fertiliser is made from Oil. This releases huge amounts of CO2.

There’s more. The cows spend the winter indoors, some are indoors all year round. Their diet is made up from grass and supplementary concentrate rations. The major protein source in these rations is Soya. In a typical year each cow may eat about 400 kg of soya. Ten UK cows eat about one hectares worth of Soya each year. That’s a hectare of rainforest or Cerrado. Have a look at Net Zero and carbon Credits undressed (below). Imported animal feed farcically ain’t included in the UK Net Zero calculations.

And then there’s the Methane. Its a big part of the problem not covered by Net Zero and Carbon Credits. I have written other posts on Methane; Methane Emissions Must be Eliminated as a No 1 Priority; Bottom Trawling Destroys the Seabed and Must End Now

Net Zero and Carbon Credits Undressed

The Royal Society explain neatly what Net Zero is – What is net Zero?

Not included in the UK Net Zero calculations – Aviation, Foreign Imports and Finance. Oh dear. We are a net importer, especially of food. We are a major world player in Aviation, London is a world finance capital responsible for almost half of our GDP. Net zero here then by 2050 means nothing.

Lets look at another youtube video for Carbon Credits – What are Carbon Credits?

There we are – Net Zero and Carbon Credits Exposed for what they are, just empty political words.

The claim that it stores as much is simply incorrect.

Iain Dunn

Founder of Earth and Leaf Community Interest Company. Lifelong career and education in agriculture. Now researcher and writer and sustainability campaigner.