COMMUNITY FAQ MARKETS CARBON

The document argues that carbon markets are 'false climate solutions' that enable big polluters to continue emitting greenhouse gases through 'greenwashing' while causing land grabbing and human rights violations in the Global South. It details how carbon credits are generated from nature-based solutions and 'techno-fixes', warns communities about deceptive contracts and the failure of industry 'safeguards', and provides a framework for resistance based on climate justice and the right to say no.

• Carbon markets are characterized as a continuation of harmful systems like capitalism, neocolonialism, and extractivism, which place a price tag on nature to benefit corporations at the expense of ecosystems and communities.
• Carbon credits allow high-emitting corporations and governments to 'offset' their emissions by paying for projects that supposedly reduce, avoid, or remove CO2, which the document claims does not actually reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.
• Nature-based solutions (NBS), including REDD+ and reforestation, are criticized for relying on flawed calculations that ignore ecosystem complexity and often lead to mass land grabbing and the use of non-native monoculture plantations.
• The document identifies 'techno-fixes' such as Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) as expensive, ineffective, and harmful to both the environment and communities.
• Industry-designed 'safeguards' are deemed ineffective because the carbon market model is fundamentally built to prioritize corporate profit over the well-being of ecosystems and communities.
• Carbon project companies may use deceptive tactics when approaching communities, such as promising jobs or money that never materialize, or pressuring leaders to sign contracts without Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC).
• The guide lists numerous risks to communities from carbon projects, including loss of land ownership, threats to food and water security, and the disruption of traditional knowledge and spiritual practices.
• The document advocates for a transition to 'real solutions' that center people and the planet, such as community forest management and agroecology, rather than market-based mechanisms.

APA

Solanki, S., Masson, L., Fandel, G., Chowdhury, B., Smith, F., Akoto, G., Kung, H., Cárdenas, L. G., Basualdo, M., Porras, M., Rivas, O., & Onodera, Y. (2025). COMMUNITY FAQ MARKETS CARBON. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FOEI-Community-FAQ-EN-WEB.pdf

Chicago

Solanki, Serayna, Lise Masson, Ghislaine Fandel, Bareesh Chowdhury, Fatimah Smith, Gideon Akoto, Hilary Kung, et al. COMMUNITY FAQ MARKETS CARBON. Friends of the Earth International, 2025. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FOEI-Community-FAQ-EN-WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{solanki2025community, author = {Solanki, Serayna and Masson, Lise and Fandel, Ghislaine and Chowdhury, Bareesh and Smith, Fatimah and Akoto, Gideon and Kung, Hilary and Cárdenas, Linda González and Basualdo, Manuel and Porras, Mariana and Rivas, Oscar and Onodera, Yuri}, title = {{COMMUNITY FAQ MARKETS CARBON}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FOEI-Community-FAQ-EN-WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }