Four reasons why only new, good (!) projects should be funded under Article 6

Originally published in Carbon Markets at COP25 blog on 2 December 2019 Starting today and continuing over the coming days, we’ll break the issue down into four key elements that could make or break the future carbon market schemes. One of the thorniest issues is the question of whether or not the old credits from …

Watch This! Sail2COP – On the waves of Greta (October 2019)

Scroll down for French and Spanish Welcome to this latest edition of the Watch This! Or as we like to call simply WT!  We hope you can deal with another acronym in your busy life. In this edition, we will be exploring the various forms of engagement, from direct civil activism to the weeds of …

UN climate negotiators to discuss future carbon markets as calls to end offsetting grow louder

This week, UN climate negotiators are meeting in Bonn, Germany, to try and find common ground on the Paris Agreement’s market provisions. There is growing political momentum to move beyond offsetting in global climate policy, but only a handful of countries around the negotiating table are willing to walk the talk. “We can no longer …

COP24 overshadowed by market failure as countries fail to agree on basic accounting principles and the future of the CDM

COP24 closed this evening in Katowice, Poland, more than 24 hours later than initially planned. Despite smooth progress at first, negotiations ended in confusion as it proved impossible to find an agreement within the article 6 negotiations, which work to set up two new carbon markets for the post-2020 period. The text presented to all …

COP24: Real facts or just dreams

Over the next two weeks more than 22,000 people – including parties, observers, and journalists will arrive to in the little mining city of Katowice (Poland). Guests will be welcomed not only by delicious pierogi (typical Polish dish) and cold temperatures, but above all by a crisp and exhilarating atmosphere. As the eyes of the …

UN market negotiations: Will we learn from the past?

The divide between countries on key elements of the new UN carbon markets have become apparent at the last UNFCCC session which closed last week in Bangkok. Open questions around the transition of old markets and how to ensure that carbon offsets do not water down climate ambition are set to continue during COP24, when major rules of the Paris Rulebook are expected to be finalised in December in Katowice, Poland.

Green finance must be people-friendly

Today, civil society organisations have sent out a letter to leaders of the European Commission to call on them to adopt financial investment rules which will benefit both the people and the environment. The letter is part of a wider effort from civil society to make sure that “sustainable” finance does not end up harming people …

WatchThis! – New scheme could breathe life back into the CDM (June 2018)

Scroll down for French and Spanish (4-minute read) Dear friends, We are delighted to share with you the very first digital hub edition of the platform which brings you content such as interviews with our network members, academics, and other experts, a space to promote your campaigns, upcoming events, articles, and more. Over the years, we …

Sham consultations, ruthless exploitation: CDM project experience in India

Guest article by Soumya Dutta, Beyond Copenhagen collective, India India hosts a big share of climate mitigation projects under the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Many of these projects have blatantly violated the rights of affected communities and stakeholder consultations are carried out rarely if ever, writes Soumya Dutta. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) was …