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Honest Government Ad | Bullshit™ (Patreon)
Content
Dear Patrons
A quick update to this post to let you know the YouTube version is now published:Honest Government Ad | Bullshit™This extended version includes the insane story of California's forest offset program, which set aside 6M offset credits to compensate for losses due to wildfires over the next 100 years. And wildfires torched 11M offset credits - in just ONE decade 🔥😱 I couldn't fit this into the vertical edit which needs to be under 3mins, but I think it's a sobering illustration of how insane it is to think we can offset carbon emissions with forests, in the middle of a planetary warming crisis that's melting glaciers in Nepal.The YouTube video description also includes a list of sources and links to further reading for those who'd like to read into more behind this story. Meanwhile: the Insta video has hit almost 1M views. It's also on our Facebook page. Bluesky here. And TikTok here. Over and out for now.--
Well, that's the main purpose of this post...But if you'd like to stick around, I do have a few words I'd like to share about this HGA.It's a sad testament to our times that this HGA's title, Bullshit™, could make it about any number of current topics. But once you watch the video, I think you'll find it is particularly suited to the actual topic it covers: carbon offsets. You know, the things that let polluters keep polluting as long as they pay someone not to cut down a forest somewhere else (and pray it doesn't catch fire). I don't need to tell you things are looking dire for our climate future. The UN report that came out yesterday saying "there are no good outcomes", is equally terrifying (for obvious reasons) and infuriating (because it perpetuates the doomer mentality to which fossil fuel companies want us to become desensitised; when in fact, we need to fight to stop every single incredment of planetary warming). But the point I'm trying to make is: we can't afford to give our biggest polluters even more carbon offsets to keep polluting.
Which is why it matters that on Septmber 16 our federal Senate will vote on whether or not to allow a new method for creating carbon offsets. To complicate things: the NSW Government - which deserves credit for promising to establish the Great Koala National Park to protect critical koala habitat, if elected - has decided, two and a half years after being elected, only to keep that election promise if the above mentioned offset method passes through the federal Parliament. Not surprsingly, this situation has split (/wedged) the environment movement: with some saying we should accept the trade-off between creating the park and more offsets for polluters; and others (including Bob Debus, who was Bob Carr's environment minister) saying we should not have to make this trade-off for various reasons; not least the fact that the park was an election promise; was never conditional on greenlighting more carbon pollution; and that it's already been budgeted and doesn't need the sale of offsets to pay for it.The debate has become very messy and divisive. So of course, I thought we should make an HGA about it so we don't miss out on all the fun (/sarcasm).Trying to pack all that into a 3 minute video isn't easy, and many details had to be left out. So I'll include a list of courses and references in the YouTube video description, once it's up.In the meantime, you might like to check out the HGA we made a few years ago about offsets and carbon credits. Whilst it goes into more depth on offsets, keep in mind this was under the Coalition and some things have changed since Labor took over (many of them for the better in terms of the ERAC's integrity)We also made this episode about the Safeguard Mechanism, the Tony Abbot policy that Labor rebranded as its "pollution reduction" policy, and which now governs the ACCU carbon offset market in Australia.And if you really want to learn about biggest bullshit of all, check out our epic time-travelling HGA about the Kyoto carryover credits.IN OTHER NEWS...
We collaborated with GetUp and Digital Rights Watch on our Palantir HGA in June which had almost 6M views on Insta, and 1.9M on our TikTok. So I think it's safe to say we contributed to this outcome.
Not that it's anywhere near the end of this story: Palantir is still embedded in many government agencies and civilian infrastructure; and even if we get rid of those bastards, others will follow. But still: we have to celebrate all the wins along the way.And of course, this is a great time to remind everyone - myself included - that the only reason we can have such an impact in terms of informing people, is thanks to all of you: our Patrons.Phew... that's a long post. I'll wrap it up!Keep an eye out for the Youtube version of our Bullshit™ HGA on our channel. I'll add the link here once it's out; or maybe I'll do another quick post to share it with you. And for all the dads out there... Happy Father's Day on Sunday. Thank you for all the work you do in your families. We see you.Giordano, Lucy and fam.Honest Government Ad | Bullshit™
