Comment Log Display

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Clerk of the Board
California Air Resources Board
1001 I Street
Sacramento, California 95814

Subject: Do NOT endorse the California Tropical Forest Standard

To the Air Resources Board:

As a California resident, I am writing to urge you to not endorse
the California Tropical Forest Standard, and to ensure that these
tropical forest offsets never are accepted into California's carbon
trading system, or adopted by out-of-state entities like the
International Commercial Aviation Organization (ICAO).

"Our duty to the whole, including to the unborn generations, bids
us to restrain an unprincipled present-day minority from wasting
the heritage of these unborn generations. The movement for the
conservation of wildlife and the larger movement for the
conservation of all our natural resources are essentially
democratic in spirit, purpose and method."
-- Theodore Roosevelt

Carbon offsets allow big emitters in California to keep polluting,
instead of reducing their carbon footprint. They perpetuate
pollution hotspots and prevent California from taking real action
on climate change. If the ICAO were to adopt tropical forest
offsets, it would allow airline emissions to continue growing while
putting tropical forests into the market over the protests of local
communities. It's totally unacceptable.

"Do not suffer your good nature, when application is made, to say
'Yes' when you should say 'No'. Remember, it is a public not a
private cause that is to be injured or benefited by your choice."
-- George Washington

Tropical forest carbon offsets lack integrity, pose unacceptably
high risks of violating indigenous and human rights, and are
impossible to police across national borders. California should not
be encouraging them through the endorsement of the Tropical Forest
Standard.

"A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity,
stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it
tends otherwise."
-- Aldo Leopold

Thank you for your consideration of my comments. Please do NOT add
my name to your mailing list. I will learn about future
developments on this issue from other sources.

Sincerely,
Christopher Lish
San Rafael, CA