On Thin Ice: Winter Sports and Climate Change - David Suzuki ...

on thin ice: winter sports and cliMate change
In Canada, the ski industry as a whole has yet to launch a climate change action strategy,
although several ski resorts are purchasing green power. Moreover, the Resort Municipality
of Whistler, joint host of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, has been actively working
toward its global warming emission-reduction targets since 1997, and developed the first
integrated energy, air quality, and greenhouse gas management strategy in Canada (2003).
Even though Whistler has experienced rapid growth, the community has achieved a nine
per cent decrease in greenhouse gas emissions from levels in 2000. The local government
in Whistler has also committed to detailed annual corporate carbon and energy emissions
inventories, a dedicated carbon busters (action) team, and substantial energy-conservation
investments on key municipal building assets.
What does carbon neutral mean?
going carbon neutral is an easy way to
take responsibility for the greenhouse
gases we create every time we burn
fossil fuels to power our cars or heat our
homes. foremost, we should reduce our
emissions wherever possible. But for any
remaining emissions that may be difficult
to reduce, we can effectively counter
them by purchasing what are known as
“carbon offsets”.
WhAT IS A CArBON OFFSET?
carbon offsets are a means to counteract
carbon dioxide emissions by investing
in projects that reduce the amount of
carbon emissions in the atmosphere
by an equivalent amount. projects can
include wind farms, solar installations,
or energy-efficiency projects. however,
not all carbon offset projects have
tangible environmental benefits, which
is why high-quality standards must
be put in place to ensure that key
environmental criteria have been met by
offset projects. these standards include
ensuring emissions reductions are real
and measurable and that the offsets are
invested in projects that wouldn’t have
happened without the funding.
WhAT IS A “GOLD STANDArD”
CArBON OFFSET? 143
in response to these concerns and
others, an international standard for
carbon offsets, known as the “gold
standard”, was developed. gold
standard is supported by more than
50 environmental organizations as it
employs the best practices contained
within the Kyoto protocol and ensures
that all projects that get approved are
verified by reputable third parties.
as with any purchase, buyers need
to choose their carbon emission offsets
carefully. for example, although quite
popular, offsets from tree-planting
projects are particularly problematic
for a number of reasons, including their
lack of permanence and the fact that
these projects do not address the root
cause of global warming, reducing our
dependence on fossil fuels. this is why
tree-planting projects are explicitly
excluded by the gold standard label.
But one thing must be clear: carbon
offsets aren’t a substitute for the need
to reduce emissions with concerted
government and individual action.
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