First Nations Carbon Collaborative—Indigenous Peoples and Carbon Markets: An annotated bibliography

The document serves as a resource for First Nations in Canada to navigate the economic opportunities and risks of carbon markets. It emphasizes that while global literature on indigenous peoples and carbon markets exists, there is a significant information void specifically regarding First Nations in Canada. The report argues that for indigenous participation to be equitable, governments must recognize carbon rights, obtain free, prior and informed consent, and adopt decentralized governance models that prioritize local employment over simple financial compensation. It also highlights the technical necessity of accurate carbon accounting, particularly in the boreal forest, where factors like insect infestations and soil moisture significantly impact carbon stock measurements.

• There is a significant lack of specific information regarding First Nations in Canada and carbon markets compared to the broader availability of information on indigenous peoples globally, creating an "information void" that hinders their participation.
• Indigenous peoples face risks of marginalization, forest loss, and corruption in carbon markets when their carbon rights are not legally recognized or when regulations are unclear and enforcement is absent.
• Equitable carbon markets require the application of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) to ensure the protection of rights and the requirement of free, prior and informed consent during policy development.
• Decentralized forest governance models are often more effective than centralized schemes at improving livelihoods and enhancing carbon sequestration and storage, as seen in examples from the Amazon and Costa Rica.
• Carbon offset projects are less prone to corruption and illegal logging when they generate local employment opportunities (such as technicians, foresters, and rangers) rather than providing only financial incentives.
• Accurate land-based carbon accounting in the boreal forest must account for specific ecological variables, including soil moisture and the impact of insect infestations, which can cause greater carbon loss than forest fires in some Canadian areas.
• The use of integrated approaches, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, is essential for the precise measurement of carbon stocks required to sell credible offsets in carbon markets.

APA

Dohan, R., & Voora, V. (2011). First Nations Carbon Collaborative—Indigenous Peoples and Carbon Markets: An annotated bibliography. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fncc_bibliography.pdf

Chicago

Dohan, Rosemary, and Vivek Voora. First Nations Carbon Collaborative—Indigenous Peoples and Carbon Markets: An annotated bibliography. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fncc_bibliography.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dohan |first1=Rosemary |last2=Voora |first2=Vivek |title=First Nations Carbon Collaborative—Indigenous Peoples and Carbon Markets: An annotated bibliography |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fncc_bibliography.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dohan2011first, author = {Dohan, Rosemary and Voora, Vivek}, title = {{First Nations Carbon Collaborative—Indigenous Peoples and Carbon Markets: An annotated bibliography}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/fncc_bibliography.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }