Can we really “offset” the carbon footprint of our airplane travel?

Carbon footprint compensation before or after the flight. it’s the reflex of some travelers who feel guilty about the climate emergency. Concerned about their impact, as soon as they book their ticket, they tick a small box that guarantees to offset the CO² emissions of their flight. Others turn to private organizations or public organizations that offer the same service, imagining that it will compensate them for the damage caused by their theft… But does it really have a beneficial effect on our planet, or is it just for us to clear our conscience? ?

The question divides. Alain Karsenti, socio-economist of CIRAD (International Cooperation Center for Agronomic Research Development) is categorical. compensation is “impossible”, primarily due to the nature of the proposed projects; . He decries the time lag between the immediate emissions that the traveler emits at time T, during his flight, and the time it takes for the newly planted forests to actually absorb this carbon. “It can take a year, ten or a hundred years to plant and then grow trees.”

Carbon stored in trees must remain so for centuries to have any hope of neutralizing emissions. However, how can we be sure that these forests will still be standing in a year, ten, twenty or even fifty years from now?

Alain Carsenty, socio-economist at CIRAD

Some structures therefore prefer fast-growing trees such as pines, acacias, eucalyptus. “Planting one variety can speed up the rate of accumulation, but it comes at the expense of biodiversity. In addition, it risks increasing the vulnerability of the planted forest (fire, parasites or other pathogens).” And that is not even, according to him, the main problem. “Carbon stored in trees should remain that way for centuries, hopefully neutralizing emissions. However, how can we be sure that these forests will still be standing in a year, ten, twenty or even fifty years from now? Let’s remind that this summer more than 660 thousand hectares of forest burned in Europe alone.

One solution suggested by Jean-François Rial, CEO of Voyageurs du Monde, an agency that offers its clients to offset their carbon footprint, is to plant more than necessary. “We have five times more than would be needed for one traveler. So that as long as we don’t lose 20% of our plantations, we will stay in the nails.And we plan to increase this figure in the following years.” The tour operator also prides itself on doing what it’s called for “Additional Compensation”, that is, to implement such projects that would not otherwise see the light of day. Does that seem logical to you? However, this is not systematic. “Most forest carbon credits come from what are called ‘avoidance projects’. projects that do not involve reforestation, but simply aim to avoid deforestation.” continues Alain Karsenti. “However, all too often, the projection of deforestation that would have occurred without the project is too high, which then allows us to claim that we have avoided the worst… compared to what was predicted.”

The same mechanism will be implemented for other carbon offset projects, such as the construction of wind turbines. “This applies to, for example, 52% of projects in India.” describes a scientist based on work from the Center for Climate Change Economics and Policy (CCCEP) dating back to November 2021. “They were funded through this mechanism because the Indian contractors were planning to develop these parks anyway, with or without these funds.” a “Mass Unexpected Effect”in short.

Business, what is the other one?

At Air France, as at Greentripper, a company that specializes in calculating trips and then offsetting carbon, we therefore rely on labels. The selected projects all carry the Gold Standard seal, recognized as the safest international certification in terms of carbon offsets. “They meet the exact specifications. In addition to CO2e compensation (CO² emissions avoided, sequestered or reduced, editor’s note)we are convinced that they meet at least three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals approved by the United Nations.”notes the director of Greentripper.

Not enough to convince Allen Karsent. “Some projects are of high quality and bring welcome activity and income to the local population. But it’s not for everyone. Also, the challenge for all players in this chain, right down to the end buyers, is that it is in their best interest to make it work and for no one to question the integrity of their carbon credits. (a unit of measurement equivalent to one tonne of CO2 avoided or sequestered, editor’s note)“. Obviously, the scientist criticizes these organizations for making a living out of it “business”. “Companies are only too happy to find cheap loans with no questions asked.” According to him.

This is also what Air France has been criticized for, until a few days ago it was still offering its customers to subscribe to an “environmental” option to offset the carbon footprint of the flight. Pure “greenwashing” according to several associations met in a forum published on Reporterre. Their petition gathered about 8,000 signatures. Air France has been accused of misleading travelers by letting them know they could “Fly without emitting CO2 by paying for the simple option.”

To compensate is to cancel. But here we are not canceling anything at all

Lucas Scaltritti, journalist author of the Super Green Me podcast

This is also what the journalist behind the podcast, Lucas Skaltreet, condemns. Super Green Me.“What we offer to the consumer is the right to pollute in exchange for monetary compensation.” critic Lucas Skaltritti, the journalist behind the podcast Super Green Me. Participate, finance reforestation projects, yes. But not for that purpose “compensate” its carbon footprint. From a semantic point of view, it causes a problem. “To compensate is to cancel. But here we don’t cancel anything at all.” he exclaims. “If necessary, we can talk about investment”. Likewise for the expression “carbon neutrality”, which misleads the consumer. At Greentripper, which sells carbon credits to individuals, “We offer refunds as a last resort”. First we reduce, then compensation. “We can choose the train over the plane, for example, and then offset the residual emissions of our train journey.” reveals its CEO, who has partnered with Railtrip.Travel, a rail adventure agency that offers only train travel and that includes CO2 offsets in its travels.

“The least polluting energy is the one we don’t use”

But then, what is the right solution? “Minimize Your Air Travel, Period”continues Lucas Skaltritti. “If we want to respect our climate ambitions of individually not exceeding 2 tons of CO² per year, we have to divide our lifestyles into five, so eliminate the airplane.”, which is the world’s most polluting vehicle according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). According to his data, a passenger by plane emits 285 grams of CO² per kilometer, compared to 158 by car and only 14 by train. “We go to Greece rather than Miami, Corsica rather than Cuba.” he suggests. Alain Karsenti invites him “reduce or even eliminate domestic flights within the same country.”. Provided, of course, that other infrastructures are developed, for example, night trains.

Voyageurs du Monde executive director Jean-Francois Rial is not so drastic. It encourages people to cut back on flights and suggests staying more and more in Europe or France, which are accessible by train, but is not advocating to boycott the plane. “A car with less than three people is also not very ecological. And then if we go in this direction, what do we do with the Internet and everything that pollutes? are we deleting? he asks. After these accusations at Air France, we turned back. Now we focus on technology. Vincent Etchebehere, Sustainable Development and New Mobility Manager talks about the investment “A modern fleet that consumes less and therefore emits less greenhouse gases to reduce the weight on the aircraft, because the lighter the aircraft, the less fuel it uses, and to optimize flight paths, another way to limit consumption.” It is also based on the development of biofuels “Compounds of organic matter, such as used cooking oil.”

By 2030, the airline hopes 10% of its fuel will be sustainable. While keeping an eye on other technological advances, the French group is also keeping a close eye on promises to capture CO² directly from the atmosphere through technology. Problem: “Obviously not yet. It’s better to make people understand that they can act now, not on a technology bet in the future.” concludes Hervé Lefebvre, Thematic Assistant, Adaptation, Development, Trajectories, ADEME. Reminding: “The least polluting energy is the one we don’t use”.