Thread by @TheAusInstitute

We are LIVE for today’s webinar with our Exec. Director @RDNS_TAI and senior climate and energy researcher @pollyjhemming talking dodgy carbon credits with @ebony_bennett #auspol

There’s still time to join us – register here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regist…

Are Australia's emmissions reducing? @RDNS_TAI responds with a flat "no." @pollyjhemming reminds viewers that Australia's actual emissions have only gone down 1.8% relative 2005. #climate #auspol

What is green Wall St.?🤨Polly Hemming says that despite the release of the State of the Environment which showed that Australia's ecosystems are collapsing, the govt. has refused to regulate polluting industries. Instead, they leave it to the markets to find a solution. #auspol

This "nature based solution" operates on the assumption that nature is investible, says @RDNS_TAI For instance, Santos can go on increasing emissions so long as they offset it by paying the "market value" of koalas or trees or nature #auspol #environment #climate

What is a carbon credit? @pollyjhemming explains it's meant to represent a reduction in emissions that an entity can claim if they plant more trees/capture landfill gas etc. These can then be sold to industrial polluters to cancel out their emissions, which is the problem #auspol

The evidence is that carbon credits aren't reducing emissions. At best, offsets help maintain the level of environmental decline, not actively reduce it says @pollyjhemming. We must use legislation to directly put a stop to polluting projects says @RDNS_TAI #auspol #climate

Next year, the govt. is set to introduce a new safeguard mechanism. @RDNS_TAI reminds viewers that this instrument would mean that it is fine for new oil nad gas to open, as long as there are also new offsets. #AusPol2022 #climate #environment

The more time we spend talking about carbon credits, the less time that leaves for reducing actual levels of emissions, says @RDNS_TAI #auspol #greenwashing #climate

And that’s a wrap - thanks for joining us! Fantastic to have @RDNS_TAI and @pollyjhemming on our webinar with @ebony_bennett.

We’ll post the full recording soon – and remember, you can sign up for our upcoming webinars here: nb.tai.org.au/webinar_series