A guide to carbon markets and how to fight them

The document argues that carbon markets and offsets are 'false climate solutions' that fail to reduce emissions, allow major polluters to continue emitting, and facilitate land grabs and human rights violations, particularly in the Global South. It details the mechanisms of the UNFCCC's Article 6, various voluntary and regional trading schemes, and provides a strategic framework for civil society to oppose these markets through policy advocacy, legal tactics, and community solidarity.

• Carbon markets and offsets are characterized as ineffective tools for climate mitigation that serve as a 'smokescreen' for large polluters. The document cites a 2023 scandal involving Verra, where it was revealed that over 90% of the offsets sold were 'largely worthless'.
• The implementation of carbon projects, particularly in the Global South, is linked to 'extractivism and neocolonialism'. These projects often lead to the privatisation of ecosystems, large-scale land grabs, and the violation of Indigenous and human rights.
• Under the Paris Agreement, Article 6 establishes frameworks for carbon trading. Article 6.2 allows for bilateral and multilateral agreements (such as CORSIA for aviation), while Article 6.4 creates a UN-run global carbon market. The document warns that these mechanisms may allow 'hot air' from pre-2020 credits to inflate markets and hinder countries from meeting their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
• Various regional and national schemes are proliferating. The EU ETS is described as ineffective due to industry lobbying, while the Africa Carbon Market Initiative (ACMI) aims to produce 1.5 billion credits annually by 2050. Other notable national systems include China's ETS, which is the world's largest by volume, and Kenya's efforts to incorporate carbon markets into national legislation.
• The document advises climate justice movements to use a combination of popular education, media exposés, and climate litigation to challenge the veracity of emission reductions and the damages caused to communities by offset projects.
• The guide warns against the IPCC's inclusion of 'negative emissions technologies' and carbon dioxide removal, arguing that relying on these unproven technologies risks further 'overshoot' of temperature limits and undermines the phase-out of fossil fuels.

APA

Masson, L., Kung, H., Race, M., Shaw, S., Booth, T., & Onodera, Y. (2023). A guide to carbon markets and how to fight them. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Carbon-markets-guide_FoEI_ENG.pdf

Chicago

Masson, Lise, Hilary Kung, Madeleine Race, Sara Shaw, Tyler Booth, and Yuri Onodera. A guide to carbon markets and how to fight them. Friends of the Earth International, 2023. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Carbon-markets-guide_FoEI_ENG.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Masson |first1=Lise |last2=Kung |first2=Hilary |last3=Race |first3=Madeleine |last4=Shaw |first4=Sara |last5=Booth |first5=Tyler |last6=Onodera |first6=Yuri |title=A guide to carbon markets and how to fight them |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=2023 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Carbon-markets-guide_FoEI_ENG.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{masson2023guide, author = {Masson, Lise and Kung, Hilary and Race, Madeleine and Shaw, Sara and Booth, Tyler and Onodera, Yuri}, title = {{A guide to carbon markets and how to fight them}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2023}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Carbon-markets-guide_FoEI_ENG.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }