A: Clean technology is important, but insufficient on its own to reverse climate change if legislation stays the same. We must shift the entire economy.

The big strength of carbon pricing is that you don't need to ‘pick a winner’ in technologies. Focussing on specific technology is also often used as a way to distract from sensible policy change.

Things like Voluntary Carbon Offsets or Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) are mostly ineffective . Mark Ogge from the Australia Institute argues that subsiding CCS and presenting it as a climate solution “is a complete scam.” - Source: ABC Science

This is a complex topic. While individual consumer action is at best a drop in the ocean, many people feel it is a necessary step towards more systematic change. We need ‘early adopters’ to try out different ways of doing things and share them with others. Yes, you won’t save the world by yourself, but as an individual, you can be a part of the solution. In fact, ‘individual lifestyle changes act as a kind of alloy’ that strengthens our political advocacy.

Some people believe that individual action undermines policy change. Recycling may not reduce plastic production, electric vehicles may not change policy on city design or public transport, and boycotts may increase corporate profit. The term ‘carbon footprint’ was invented by BP to distract from corporate inaction on climate change and put the onus on consumers. While we know that swapping your hamburger for a bean patty won’t solve climate change, the issue requires us ‘to take every available action at all levels of society’.

We believe that Government legislation is the most effective way to fairly regulate the economy and environment for the benefit of everyone. Check out this video by Climate Town about recycling.

A: The short answer is ‘No.’

Many people feel that complex carbon trading and offset models create a lot of room for profiteering and manipulation. They also distract citizens from efforts that actually work, like good policy.

While there are very few good examples, they are the “exception that protects the rule”, and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investment and similar efforts broadly don’t work.

Tariq Fancy wrote an excellent long read about this challenge: The Secret Diary of a Sustainable Investor.

A: We have a well-researched view on this question :)

After many years of work, CCL International has settled on a carbon fee and dividend model, which prices carbon and returns the revenue to citizens. It’s clean, fair and simple.

We’re broadly supportive of any good climate policy, and love listening to politicians, leaders and policy wonks talk about sensible laws.