Page 69 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 23
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The Environment
sequester carbon and generate ‘nature-based solution’ with expanding frontiers of
“new” carbon credits. None involving tree plantations extraction and exploitation of
of these techniques are proven for offsetting in the Republic nature.”
to permanently store carbon. of Congo’s Bateke Plateau,
Large scale industrial seaweed home to Aka Indigenous Kirtana Chandrasekaran,
cultivation is, for instance, communities and Bantu farmers, Friends of the Earth
infringing the territories of is another case of offsetting International said, “Carbon
coastal communities and in which community rights markets fuel green grabbing
creating new threats to the are being violated. As these by big polluters. Yet at COP
marine environment and the projects continue centuries- 28 Governments will decide on
marine food web. old dispossessions, now with whether to expand the scope
“green” justifications, they of carbon markets to include
Carbon offsetting has also amount to green grabbing new lands, seas and new
given rise to a rapidly growing colonialism. types of risky offset activities.
industry of risky geoengineering This would be a disaster for
and climate chaos profiteers, Carbon markets are not a the climate and frontline
often to the detriment of local solution for climate change. communities. What we need are
and Indigenous communities. What is urgently needed is real emissions reductions and
Carbon offset project renewed focus on keeping real climate finance. Anything
developers, standards bodies, fossil fuels in the ground and less is failure.”
auditors and credit providers commitments to real climate
have pocketed millions from action based on equity and Devlin Kuyek from GRAIN
churning out carbon credits that justice. said, “Carbon markets,
have failed to reduce emissions offsets schemes, and carbon
and exacerbated the climate QUOTES “removals” cannot offer
crisis. These projects, many of solutions to the climate crisis.
which are repackaged as so- Jutta Kill, World Rainforest They prop up a system that has
called ‘nature based solutions’ Movement said, “Carbon enabled corporate polluters
or ‘natural climate solutions’ offset trading is reckless and and rich countries to delay
or, when done at coastal and irresponsible. Far too much action and profit from the crisis.
marine areas, as ‘blue carbon,’ time has been wasted on Whether unregulated or with
have also drawn peasant and attempts to fix a concept that a UN seal of approval, carbon
Indigenous communities is structurally flawed. Far offsetting in all its shapes and
into costly and complicated too many projects have led forms, including REDD or so-
legal battles in their effort to to land grabbing and caused called “nature-based solutions”
affirm their rights and reclaim conflict and harm to peasants, and “blue carbon”, is a fraud
community territories and in Indigenous peoples and that must be immediately
their fights to resist the projects. communities.” scrapped.”
In the Cordillera Azul National Shalmali Guttal Focus Laura Dunn, ETC Group said
Park REDD project (PNCAZ), on the Global South said, “In the carbon offset world,
Kichwa communities in the “Organizations of small-scale seaweed is touted as the new
Peruvian Amazon have been fishers, coastal and inland “green” oil. But our recent
impacted by these costly communities have unequivocally report The Seaweed Delusion
schemes. The Katingan Peatland rejected the so called ‘Blue shows that industrial seaweed
Restoration and Conservation Economy’ and pointed out how farming won’t save our climate
Project in Indonesia is also concepts of sustainability and or save nature. Geoengineering
negatively impacting Dayak resilience are being subverted to the planet with massive seaweed
communities. Total Energies advance ‘climate colonization’ plantations will destroy
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