Here’s a short paper I wrote a few month’s ago. It is entirely unjustified to assume that it is possible to “displace” fossil fuels using biofuels, or offsetting carbon emissions by paying for a renewable energy project. Sorry, the oil will not magically stay in the ground! If you don’t buy it, someone else probably will.
Please read “The Displacement Fallacy” (pdf) – it’s only one side.
Uncharted Territory 
[…] the useful Zero carbon blog. “Subtractability” further develops the ideas in “The Displacement Fallacy” in the context of carbon […]
Pingback by Subtractability, or, Top of the Tim Joslins! « Uncharted Territory — January 16, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
[…] (3) Or the algal biofuel could simply allow people to drive more – see The Displacement Fallacy. […]
Pingback by All about algae « Uncharted Territory — January 31, 2008 @ 8:47 am
[…] forward, IMHO, since: (1) It’ll simply displace economic activity that causes flying, i.e by the Displacement Fallacy, the available fuel will simply be used in China, India, Africa… rather than UK. (2) It may […]
Pingback by The Icarus Project « Uncharted Territory — February 29, 2008 @ 2:08 pm
[…] Or rather, we’re confusing the “cost” of reducing fossil fuel use in one isolated case, with the (much higher) cost that needs to be imposed to cause a global reduction in consumption. We’re thwarted, of course, by the Displacement Fallacy. […]
Pingback by Slightly less sternly bemused - a more considered reflection on the discounting question « Uncharted Territory — March 11, 2009 @ 6:29 pm
[…] is that carbon-intensive activities will relocate to countries where controls are lax – Displacement. Oil tankers will be diverted mid-ocean and some multi-1000km gas pipeline projects brought to […]
Pingback by Copenhagen and a Cornucopia of Conundrums « Uncharted Territory — October 20, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
[…] general problem is the Displacement Fallacy, though I appreciate that Stoft intends to avoid this through international agreements, starting […]
Pingback by “Carbonomics” Critique, Part 1 « Uncharted Territory — October 31, 2009 @ 7:48 pm