Comprehensive land-use planning: A rights-based approach

The document advocates for a land-use planning framework that separates terrestrial carbon sequestration from industrial emission reductions due to the temporary nature of the former. It emphasizes that mitigation must prioritize food sovereignty, legally enforce the land rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, and avoid using land-sector targets to offset continued fossil fuel emissions. The paper critiques current Kyoto Protocol accounting as overly complex and prone to loopholes, suggesting instead the use of direct indicators like hectares of forest maintained. Specific recommendations include addressing high meat consumption and synthetic fertilizer use in developed countries to achieve permanent emission reductions in agriculture.

• Terrestrial carbon sequestration in forests and soils is temporary and fundamentally different from fossil carbon sequestration, meaning land-sector removals should be considered additional to, and not a substitute for, industrial emission reductions.
• Mitigation policies in the land sector must prioritize food security and sovereignty, particularly for developing countries where smallholder livelihoods support up to 80% of the population; in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), this may necessitate an increase in agricultural emissions.
• The legal enforcement of tenure, usage, and access rights for indigenous peoples, local communities, and smallholder farmers is essential, including the requirement for free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).
• Current LULUCF accounting rules under the Kyoto Protocol are criticized for being overly complex and creating loopholes that allow developed countries to hide land-use emissions to increase emissions in other sectors.
• Due to high uncertainties (up to 50%) in measuring emission reductions from reduced deforestation, the document recommends using direct indicators such as hectares of forest maintained or land-use change.
• Soil carbon sequestration is described as technically and economically unfeasible and volatile; therefore, better soil management should be treated as an adaptation measure rather than a mitigation measure.
• Permanent emission reductions in agriculture can be achieved by developed countries and industrial systems reducing high per capita meat consumption and the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Comprehensive land-use planning: A rights-based approach. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/LandUse_ADP_Jun2014.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Comprehensive land-use planning: A rights-based approach. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/LandUse_ADP_Jun2014.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Comprehensive land-use planning: A rights-based approach |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/LandUse_ADP_Jun2014.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndcomprehensive, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Comprehensive land-use planning: A rights-based approach}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/LandUse_ADP_Jun2014.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }