Carbon Rationing Action Groups CRAGs

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Carbon Rationing Action Groups(CRAGs)

• Corporate Climate Response
• May 30th 2007
• Robin Smith
• robin_at_gCO2e.com

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CRAG Organisation Operation

• First ever personal carbon rationing initiative
• A UK wide Carbon Rationing Network
• 30 individual Groups within the network
• Autonomous, each Group decides its rules
• CC plus Cap Trade Principles

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What Are CRAGs Achieving

• Individual Carbon Footprint expertise
• Identifying the Biggest, Easiest, Cheapest
  reductions
• An Educating, Sharing, Social, Eco-Movement
• Footprint versus Lifestyle are inclusive
  activities
• Progressive Forum for Opinions on climate
• Already Self propagating into CRAG sub-groups
• Surprising level of media attention
• 1st carbon year complete (232 carbon debt)
• Wealth of research outputs for PCA, TEQ, DTQ s
• We are Saving Money, Less stressed, Happier

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CRAG Emissions Descent Path

• Basis of our strategy
• Converge to sustainable levels by 2030
• Requires a UK yearly reduction of about 9
• Will stabilise atmospheric CO2 levels to 2C
• We Hope!

Convergence Pathway
kg CO2
2005 Timeframe 2030
Based on the Global Commons Institutes
principles of Contraction Convergence
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The CRAG Carbon Year
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Example CRAG Footprint

• My 2006 Footprint Not a Great Story!

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Typical CRAG Rules
Closely associated to Personal Carbon Allowances
(PCAs)
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Putting a Price on CRAG Emissions
De-facto Prices on C02
Playing pretend poker by keeping the score on a
piece of paper is pointless. Real money needs to
be in the game, because the psychological impact
of the money is an integral aspect of how you
behave Dr Adrian Wrigley, Cambridge.
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CRAG Carbon Debt
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Issues at this Level of Accountability

• Carbon Rations or tempting Reductions
• The lower the price, the less likely to achieve
  target
• Is Voluntary action flawed. Free riders ?
• The Rationing word
• Every Little Counts Really ?
• Who gets the cash!
• Downstream not yet proving a better approach
• 60 difficult without help from the system
• Coyness sharing carbon experiences
• Aviation creating most push back
• Everyone is looking for a leader

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How Are CRAGs Altering Behaviour

• Leadership Signals, personal, political all
  levels
• Understanding a very difficult social problem
• Self exposure Are you copping In or Out
• Wake up call for the converted
• Businesses now adopting CRAGs
• Townies losing their cars, folks no longer flying
• Food purchasing habits, though tricky
• Group structure creates ve competitive edge

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CRAG Feedback