Un guide sur les marchés du carbone et la manière de les combattre

The document argues that carbon markets and offsetting mechanisms are ineffective 'false solutions' that allow major polluters to continue emitting while causing harm to ecosystems and communities, particularly in the Global South. It details the mechanisms of the UNFCCC's Article 6, various regional and national carbon pricing initiatives, and provides strategies for civil society to resist these systems through advocacy, legal action, and community mobilization.

• Carbon markets and offsetting systems are characterized as ineffective tools that fail to reduce emissions and instead serve as a cover for major polluters to maintain their profits. The document cites a 2023 scandal involving Verra, the world's leading carbon offset certifier, where over 90% of its sold offset credits were found to be largely worthless.
• Carbon market projects, such as tree planting and soil carbon restoration, are primarily implemented in the Global South due to lower labor costs and land availability. These projects are linked to land privatization, large-scale land grabbing, and violations of human and indigenous rights, reinforcing neocolonial and extractivist patterns.
• Under the UNFCCC, Article 6 creates a framework for international carbon trading. Article 6.2 allows for bilateral and multilateral cooperative approaches (such as CORSIA), while Article 6.4 establishes a UN-managed global carbon market. The document warns that these mechanisms risk undermining a country's ability to meet its own Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) if emission reductions are oversold.
• The European Union's Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) is described as ineffective due to industry lobbying that resulted in low targets. Furthermore, the proposed Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) is criticized for potentially justifying the continued use of fossil fuel infrastructure and undermining food sovereignty and biodiversity restoration.
• Various national carbon initiatives are proliferating, including China's market (the world's largest by volume, covering about 40% of its national carbon emissions), Malaysia's Bursa Carbon Exchange, and Kenya's 2023 Climate Change (Amendment) Bill. In Colombia, a carbon tax allows companies to meet up to 100% of their obligations via national offset credits.
• The document advises climate justice movements to oppose carbon markets through a combination of political advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and legal strategies. It suggests exploring climate litigation to challenge the veracity of emission reduction claims or to sue for damages caused to communities by offset projects.

APA

Masson, L., Kung, H., Race, M., Shaw, S., Booth, T., & Onodera, Y. (2023). Un guide sur les marchés du carbone et la manière de les combattre. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Marches-du-carbone-guide_ATI_FR.pdf

Chicago

Masson, Lise, Hilary Kung, Madeleine Race, Sara Shaw, Tyler Booth, and Yuri Onodera. Un guide sur les marchés du carbone et la manière de les combattre. Friends of the Earth International, 2023. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Marches-du-carbone-guide_ATI_FR.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{masson2023guide, author = {Masson, Lise and Kung, Hilary and Race, Madeleine and Shaw, Sara and Booth, Tyler and Onodera, Yuri}, title = {{Un guide sur les marchés du carbone et la manière de les combattre}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2023}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Marches-du-carbone-guide_ATI_FR.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }