Carbon credits are the neoliberal solution to climate change. Put a cap on carbon emissions, give credits to allow limited pollution, allow credits to be traded on exchanges and allow other actors to generate new credits by sequestering carbon. Less atmospheric carbon means less climate change, means a more predictable and less expensive future that is better for economies. As time goes on the cap will go lower, raising carbon credit prices, reducing emissions and increasing sequestering. Market forces, not government bureaucrats make this work. It seems like a good win-win-win for everyone.

Except climate is so terribly complicated. As soils dry as a result of warming they will release more carbon and continued heating will trigger positive feedback loops, such as albedo shifts and methane plumes, which can accelerate warming. This means that any statement you want to make about a specific land use in a specific region regarding carbon sequestering potential is going to be an educated guess at best and everyone is going to have different and valid opinions.

Go deep enough and the market solutions are really just a veneer around a political solution. I’m worried that this just gives credence to those who want not to take any action and let god to take care of us. I don’t know how, or what one can do, but I think we need to admit and own up to the reality that we need political solutions to eliminate carbon emissions if we want to mitigate the worst effects of climate change.