NGOs oppose the oil industry’s Natural Climate Solutions and demand that Eni and Shell keep fossil fuels in the ground

Oil giants Eni and Shell have both recently announced plans to use trees to offset some of their ever increasing carbon emissions. Yesterday, NGOs put out a statement opposing the oil industry’s attempts to avoid its responsibility for climate breakdown. The statement is signed by six organisations (Friends of the Earth Mozambique and South Africa; Centre for Natural Resource Governance, Zimbabwe; No REDD in Africa Network; Re:Common, Italy; and Friends of the Earth International). The statement is endorsed by a further 109 organisations.

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Californian REDD in Acre and Chiapas: Legalising mechanisms of dispossession

The state of California is keen to include REDD credits in its cap-and-trade programme. California’s governor Jerry Brown worked closely with the oil industry on California’s climate policy, and is pushing for REDD to be allowed to “offset” ongoing pollution in California.

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Environmental racism and cap-and-trade in California

In July 2017, California voted to extend its cap-and-trade scheme until 2030. Some environmental groups and the oil and gas industry support the legislation. Environmental justice groups oppose it. This post summarises some of the responses to the continuation of cap-and-trade in California.

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How California’s cap and trade market undermines environmental justice

Last week, Senator Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) and Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) gave a press conference about a new bill, SB 775, aimed at changing California’s cap-and-trade scheme. The proposed bill would start a new cap-and-trade scheme in 2021 that would include no offsets, no free pollution allowances, and a per-capita dividend.

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The Financiali$ation of Nature

“Financialisation means the increasing role of financial motives, financial markets, financial actors and financial institutions in the operation of the domestic and international economies.”

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Nine reasons why REDD is a false solution: Friends of the Earth International

“REDD is a risky and false solution to climate change, both in theory and in practice,” argues a new report by Friends of the Earth International. “Now it is time to ditch risky REDD for known community approaches that are effective, ethical and equitable.”

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Indonesian court revokes oil palm concession in Tripa peat swamp

The Medan State Administrative Court has instructed Aceh Governor Zaini Abdullah to revoke a controversial oil palm concession in the Tripa peat swamp in Aceh province. This legal decision could signify an important breakthrough in stopping Indonesia’s forest destruction.

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California groups urge Governor to reject REDD carbon offsets

Yesterday 33 California-based organisations wrote to California’s Governor Jerry Brown requesting that international forest carbon offsets be excluded from California’s cap and trade system.

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Not for Sale: The fantasy of carbon offsetting

This film, produced by WALHI (Friends of the Earth Indonesia), starts with a villager in Aceh, Indonesia, explaining carbon trading. “I don’t really understand,” he says, “but I think it’s ‘cold air’ that may be sold to other countries.”

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Interview with Teguh Surya, WALHI: “We are against REDD. We are against carbon trading.”

Interview with Teguh Surya, campaigns director at WALHI (Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia – Friends of the Earth Indonesia), at WALHI’s office, Jakarta, February 2012.

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Durban feedback #1: Saving the market, not the climate

Over the next few weeks, REDD-Monitor will post a series of reports from participants at the UN climate meeting in Durban (COP17). The first comes from Kate Dooley of FERN and Kate Horner of Friends of the Earth US. Their report is extremely critical of what came out of Durban on REDD and in general on addressing climate change.

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REDD+ and carbon markets: Ten Myths Exploded

In June 2011, FERN, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and the Rainforest Foundation UK produced a report which counters some of the misconceptions about the suitability of carbon markets to finance forest protection.

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A wolf in sheep’s clothing: REDD questioned in Cross River State, Nigeria

From 28 February to 2 March 2011, Green Concern for Development and Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the Earth Nigeria) organised a forum on Climate Change, REDD and Forest Dependent Community Rights in Cross River State, Nigeria. The forum allowed for a debate on different viewpoints on REDD – and allowed communities to respond to government officials.

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Four reactions to Cancun: Via Campesina, Bolivia, Friends of the Earth International and Indigenous Environmental Network

At the end of the two week-long UN climate change negotiations in Cancun, the Conference of the Parties adopted the Outcome of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on long-term Cooperative Action under the Convention (pdf file, (351 kB), which includes (among other things) an outline agreement on REDD.

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REDD: The realities in black and white – new report from Friends of the Earth International

“There are several red flags and concerns about REDD by indigenous groups and forest dependent peoples as well as mass social movements across the world,” writes Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International from Cancún. A new report from FoEI, released to coincide with the talks in Cancún, highlights these red flags and concerns.

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