Shutting Down the Fog Machine

Abstract

The RRPE article, “Left Clouds Over Climate Policy Change” (Hahnel 2012a: 83-89), includes stringent and radical proposals to solve two additionality problems in project-level carbon offsets. Its failure suggests carbon offsets are irreparably broken. National penalties for non-additionality, intended to shift regulatory incentives, fail to solve the principal/agent problems addressed. Modifying standards for emission cap measurements in order to solve additionality problems in land use change and forestry (LUCF) overlooks technical obstacles and political consequences.