Climate Change & Carbon Emissions

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a significant greenhouse gas and the massive CO2 emissions resulting from our modern consumer-oriented society are a major contributor to the Greenhouse Effect - the warming of the Earth's climate. If present trends continue, global temperatures will rise significantly this century, leading to widespread flooding of coastal areas, changes in rainfall patterns and an increase in stormy weather.

Through the impact of our personal lives, we each contribute to the build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere, so we each have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to do something positive to solve the problem. Government-level initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol will only slow the rate of warming, so we each need to take personal action to achieve a real solution.

Just as individuals are responsible for CO2 emissions, governments, companies, organizations and other institutions also generate emissions through the use of energy in their industrial processes, shipping of goods to market, business travel, etc. They too need to take action to reduce their impact.

Carbon "Offsetting"

It is not possible to truly ‘offset’ carbon emissions, as the burning of fossil fuels releases carbon that has not been in the carbon cycle for millions of years. Thus burning fossil fuels represents a net increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

However, planting trees absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This represents an important way to help reduce the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide and the associated problem of global warming.

By supporting tree planting in a tropical country, you will not only be helping to reduce the effects of your carbon emissions on the climate but you will also be providing habitat for a wide range of wildlife and protecting water resources by reducing the incidence of flooding, soil erosion, and falling water tables and water pollution. In addition, you will be helping to create more sustainable livelihoods for individuals and families by promoting agro-forestry, an alternative to slash-and-burn agriculture, that leads to new forestry-management jobs, income and resource protection.