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.

Can carbon markets benefit developing countries?

Date and Time: 16:45-18:00 UK time, 09 November 2021. Location: Scottish Event Campus, Loch Lomond room (maximum capacity: 144 people). Watch online here. Background:  Low-income countries have barely benefitted from United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) flexible mechanisms. This COP26 side event will focus on solutions for the UNFCCC and voluntary carbon markets …

Can global carbon markets help us reach the Paris climate goals? 

What is the state of play of the talks on the Paris Agreement market mechanisms? How do we ensure that markets reduce emissions instead of shifting them around the globe? And that climate action drives sustainable development and benefits local communities?  A Carbon Market Watch webinar on Monday 25th of November took a deep dive …

Learning from Barro Blanco: how to improve public participation in climate projects

As negotiations on the Paris Agreement rules approach the finish line, it will be important to ensure that future climate mitigation projects respect human rights and the environment. Ever since flood waters started to rise at the Barro Blanco hydro dam site on the Tabasará river in Panama, destroying agricultural lands, cultural sites, and numerous …

Practitioner’s guide for local stakeholder consultation – how to ensure adequate public participation in climate mitigation actions

Read guide in French and in Spanish Over the past 20 years, global efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change have increasingly relied upon the implementation of local mitigation projects. While aiming to reduce emissions in the most cost-effective way, some of these projects have built up a record of adverse impacts on local people, …

UNFCCC Side Event: Protecting human rights in international carbon markets

Watch the recording of the event here Time and venue: May 1st, 16.45 – 18.15, Bonn Climate Change Conference / World Conference Center, Kaminzimmer This side event focused on measures to uphold the rights of local stakeholders affected by climate mitigation projects in the context of the negotiations on the Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM), with considerations …

Still no closure for UN offsetting scheme review

At the COP 22 climate conference in Marrakesh, countries continued debating the review of the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which will serve as a model for the newly established Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM). Parties generally shied away from controversial topics, such as demands to establish a grievance mechanism. In order for the CDM review …

Carbon Markets in the Post Paris World

The Paris Agreement represents a new era for international climate action, including for international carbon markets. Humans have emitted so much into the atmosphere that even if compensated, very little can still be emitted to limit serious consequences of climate change. 2°C of warming would have very negative effects, which is why it is important to swiftly work towards the Paris goal of the 1.5°C limit. If carbon markets are to help work towards this goal, they must work to rapidly increase ambition and guarantee high environmental integrity.