I don't think carbon offsetting is a bad thing. Although I am dubious about *some* of the companies that claim to do it for you, I would much rather spend a few days planting native trees in the highlands instead - or by potholes in the Dales, where the fences might give the young trees a chance against all the sheep! I don't think, however, that carbon offsetting is enough by itself.
There is a risk of placing too much emphasis on individual change, when what is really needed is system change. Granted, individual change is still important - and changing our own habits can help encourage others to change theirs, thus creating a greater shift. But for some, individual shifts are limited by a lack of system & policy change. When people talk about individual changes to battle the climate crisis, they often talk about not flying, eating local produce, becoming vegan, using public transport, reducing plastic use (for example shopping at those places that give you grains etc in your own container). But how can someone in rural England rely on public transport without a drastic increase (and nationalisation) in the provision of public transport, and reduction in prices? Perhaps the government can tax the aviation industry more and put the money into local public transport + building cycle lanes. How can someone eat local produce that is 5 times more expensive than the flown in goods in Aldi when they're trying to feed their kids on a minimum wage income? Bashing people for not making individual changes often occurs far too much without considering the limitations they are experiencing to these changes.
Climate breakdown is so catastrophic that it is now beyond the point of being irreversible. It is so bad that even if we did a U-turn now, and not a single plane ever flew again, not a single car ever drove again, we would not be able to reverse the damage and would merely slow down it's progression. The richest 1% of people are responsible for twice the amount of emissions as the poorest 50% of people (cited from an Oxford report). I feel, along with many others my age, so disheartened by the number of climate deniers that still exists despite it being the greatest global threat we are facing. We feel disheartened by the lack of calls for full-blown system change (the current system will always allow commercial capitalism to remain the priority). I could talk forever on further relevant topics: the integration of community resilience, the destructive nature of modern farming practices, etc etc.
Back to expeditions: I actually flew out to the CUCC expo this year, though it was just to meet people there and catch a lift to Slovenia, rather than actually take part in the expedition. One reason for this was that it was the cheapest option. I am unemployed and have just spent all of my savings on my Master's degree so really could not afford anything more expensive. Again, if aviation was taxed more, this probably wouldn't have been the cheapest option. It made the most sense time wise. My insurance had a 41 (or maybe it was 45, can't remember) day limit so I had to stay within this boundary. Due to logistics of meeting my partner abroad during his annual leave, and the dates of the Wessex Berger trip being changed, etc etc, I couldn't change the dates at the end of my holiday. And my friends were driving out to slovenia on a set day. So the cheapest, and most time efficient option, was flying. This was something that did make me feel quite uncomfortable- I hadn't flown since before 2018 and I am not proud that I did. I swing between thinking 'nothing I do will make a difference, so what's the point in trying' and thinking that 'well, my individual changes probably won't make any difference but at least I will feel less guilty'. Personally, I would just as happily go on an expedition to Applecross as to Austria. It's not deep Alpine caving, but there's a lot of new cave to be found there (and lots that has been found in the last few years, largely thanks to the GSG / RRCPC), it would be cheaper & much more accessible to those with less money, and would be good craic with friends.
