REDD error log: REDD forestry projects

The document asserts that REDD+ forestry credits are not equivalent to emission reductions due to systematic failures in five key areas: overestimated baselines, underestimated permanence risks, underestimated leakage, exaggerated carbon accounting, and weak safeguards. It concludes that current offsetting is unfit for purpose and recommends rigorous scrutiny, independent data verification, and a ban on using forest carbon storage to offset fossil fuel emissions.

• REDD+ project methodologies allow for excessive flexibility that enables developers to maximize credit issuance through 'creative accounting and profiteering'.
• Project baselines are significantly overestimated; in one sample of modelled baselines, the lowest baseline for a project was on average 14 times lower than the highest.
• The risks associated with permanence and leakage are systematically underestimated by projects using methodological flexibilities to misrepresent future deforestation threats.
• Carbon accounting is inflated through exaggerated estimates of stored carbon and the use of equations designed to maximize credit issuance.
• Safeguards are described as weak and failing to protect communities, with validation and verification bodies sometimes 'rubber-stamped projects' despite negative effects.

APA

Dufrasne, G. (2023). REDD error log: REDD forestry projects. Carbon Market Watch. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/redd-error-log-redd-forestry-projects/

Chicago

Dufrasne, Gilles. REDD error log: REDD forestry projects. Carbon Market Watch, 2023. https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/redd-error-log-redd-forestry-projects/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dufrasne |first1=Gilles |title=REDD error log: REDD forestry projects |publisher=Carbon Market Watch |date=27 September 2023 |url=https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/redd-error-log-redd-forestry-projects/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dufrasne2023redd, author = {Dufrasne, Gilles}, title = {{REDD error log: REDD forestry projects}}, institution = {Carbon Market Watch}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://carbonmarketwatch.org/campaigns/redd-error-log-redd-forestry-projects/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }