Carbon-credit as catholic indulgence

By now, many of us have heard and know that a carbon-credit is a certificate or a permit that give someone the right to emit a set amount of carbon dioxide or a different type of greenhouse gas. 

Obviously, their goal is to allow the laws of market to drive industrial and commercial processes towards low emissions, less carbon or bad gases spewed into the atmosphere. You pay to pollute. 

In theory, this approach can be used to finance carbon reduction plans between trading partners around the world. We certainly could ask the question, “Where does the money go?” 

While the carbon credit system, as virtual as it is, could work in large developed countries, it’s not enough to fight climate change in developing countries that are unlikely to adopt as they prioritize economic growth and reduced poverty over their consequences on emissions. 

It reminds me of other flimsy concept used by religion, like “born-again virginity” or the idea that after having having premarital sex, a person can be restored to virginity by a spiritual renewal, vowing to remain sexually pure until marriage and asking God for forgiveness. 

Another good example of similar good-conscience restoration scheme, is the Catholic concept of “Indulgence” as a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins. 

It’s generally described as a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, that can under certain conditions can be granted under Christ and all of the saints. 

Simple, easy, magic and clean, just like good carbon credits!