Carbon credits get labeled a scam because they promise a clean slate for polluters without delivering real, immediate results—more of a feel-good shell game than a fix.
First, the harm happens now, but the “fix” is a maybe later. When Bill Gates pumps out 1,568 tons of CO2 flying his jets in 2022, that’s in the atmosphere today, trapping heat. The carbon credit he buys—say, funding Climeworks’ air capture—might suck up some CO2 years down the line, if the tech scales and works as hyped. Studies, like one from MIT in 2021, peg direct air capture costs at $250-$600 per ton, with efficiency still unproven at scale. So, the planet’s frying now, and you’re betting on a future IOU that might not cash out.