CRISIS CLIMÁTICA Y DE LA PÉRDIDA DE BIODIVERSIDAD

The report argues that 'false solutions' to environmental crises—such as carbon markets and biodiversity offsets—do not address root causes but instead reinforce the dominant economic system and corporate power. These mechanisms are characterized by the commodification of nature, the use of technical complexity to exclude public debate, and the violation of Indigenous and local community rights. The document contrasts these with 'real solutions' based on popular power, anti-capitalist perspectives, and the sustainability of life.

• False solutions rely on 'compensation,' allowing the destruction of one ecosystem if a similar area is conserved elsewhere through the purchase of financial values like carbon credits. This process creates restrictions on forest use by establishing ownership over ecosystem functions rather than the land itself.
• The financialization of nature involves a four-phase process of cosification: first, treating nature as a buyable commodity; second, redefining nature as a provider of 'services' (Payment for Environmental Services); third, dividing nature into dissociable units (such as separating genetic parts from organic components for patents); and fourth, separating natural goods from their functions to trade them in financial markets.
• These mechanisms are used to bypass or dismantle environmental legislation by replacing mandatory regulations with voluntary measures and financial incentives, effectively turning maximum pollution limits into new minimums.
• False solutions often result in the violation of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, leading to land grabbing and the loss of territorial control. For example, REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) can lead to the expulsion of communities from forests they previously used for social, cultural, or spiritual activities.
• The report asserts that these solutions are designed to benefit corporations and create new markets for consulting firms and specialists, using 'greenwashing' to project an image of environmental responsibility without making structural changes to production.
• False solutions use technical complexity and intricate calculations to depoliticize debates and exclude the public from discussions, shifting the focus from the structural causes of destruction to the number of ecosystem service units needed for compensation.

APA

Rojas, I. (2020). CRISIS CLIMÁTICA Y DE LA PÉRDIDA DE BIODIVERSIDAD. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Crisis-climatica-y-de-la-perdida-de-biodiversidad_Caracteristicas-de-las-falsas-soluciones_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf

Chicago

Rojas, Isaac. CRISIS CLIMÁTICA Y DE LA PÉRDIDA DE BIODIVERSIDAD. Friends of the Earth International, 2020. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Crisis-climatica-y-de-la-perdida-de-biodiversidad_Caracteristicas-de-las-falsas-soluciones_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rojas |first1=Isaac |title=CRISIS CLIMÁTICA Y DE LA PÉRDIDA DE BIODIVERSIDAD |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=December 2020 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Crisis-climatica-y-de-la-perdida-de-biodiversidad_Caracteristicas-de-las-falsas-soluciones_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rojas2020crisis, author = {Rojas, Isaac}, title = {{CRISIS CLIMÁTICA Y DE LA PÉRDIDA DE BIODIVERSIDAD}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Crisis-climatica-y-de-la-perdida-de-biodiversidad_Caracteristicas-de-las-falsas-soluciones_Amigos-de-la-tierra-internacional.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }