Lacklustre COP27 fails to bring clarity to carbon markets

The Sharm el-Sheikh climate conference’s final deal on Article 6 opens the door to secret carbon market deals between countries with little oversight. On a positive note, a new type of carbon credit could help spell the end of offsetting, but the agreement falls far short of what is needed.

The eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea

Huge proposed project to prevent deforestation in Papua New Guinea may sell hot air credits and have misled locals

A proposed carbon offsetting project in Papua New Guinea, which has been labelled a “scam” by a local politician, appears to be of questionable environmental benefit and has seemingly failed to consult with local communities sufficiently and transparently, a Carbon Market Watch analysis concludes.

March newsletter editorial: The Ukraine tragedy and the heavy price of war

The horror playing out in Ukraine disturbs and distresses the Carbon Market Watch team. We have discussed it amongst ourselves. We have expressed our solidarity with those who are affected. We share their anger at the Russian regime’s unwarranted aggression, senseless bloodshed and escalating destruction. We have joined Ukrainian activists in asking for the international …

Amplifier la dynamique des marchés internationaux du carbone en Afrique

Les marchés internationaux du carbone représentent une grande opportunité de développement pour les pays africains, écrit Anyssé Kenfack Ngnintedem*. Les marchés internationaux du carbone, plus spécifiquement le régime de compensation des émissions de CO2 dans le secteur de l’aviation civile internationale (CORSIA), représentent une grande opportunité pour les pays africains. Ils permettent non seulement aux …

November editorial: A bad deal or no deal at COP26?

Dear friends, ‘No deal is better than a bad deal’ is the message which underpinned our advocacy for integrity in international carbon markets during the six years since the Paris Agreement brought fresh hope for change.  The sheer weight of self-repetition over such a long time could lead one to chalk up the compromise deal …

COP26: Half-baked carbon market rules fail to take heat off the climate

After over five years of dithering and two weeks of intensive negotiations, the world’s governments settled on slimmed-down ground rules for carbon markets under the Paris Agreement’s Article 6. This deal will provide escape hatches for government and corporations seeking to renege on their climate responsibilities, in particular undermining the urgent emissions cuts needed in …

COP26: The many shades of activism

Emissions offsetting has drawn fresh fire from some activists for its patchy human rights and environmental record. At Carbon Market Watch, we are convinced that emissions trading, like it or not, is here to stay and so we must find a way to make it best serve communities and the climate. On day four of …

How to get ‘Fit for 55’ in shape for the climate emergency

Some EU governments believe the ‘Fit for 55’ package is too ambitious but, in reality, it is not ambitious enough. More action is needed today because tomorrow will be too late to avoid catastrophic global warming, write Agnese Ruggiero and Andrew Marshall. This week, European environment ministers met in Luxembourg to discuss the draft ‘Fit …