Journal article
Demystifying the Romanticized Narratives About Carbon Credits From Voluntary Forest Conservation
Global Change Biology, Vol.31(10), pp.1-11
2025
PMID: 41078114
Abstract
Carbon offset projects aimed at avoiding deforestation and forest degradation, generally labeled “REDD+,” are frequently pro-moted as a pivotal tool to mitigate climate change, promising to offer additional co-benefits for biodiversity and local communities. Despite this optimism, most positive impacts claimed by these initiatives in the voluntary carbon market (VCM) lack empirical support and are instead based on the hopeful narratives of stakeholders with clear conflicts of interest. We critically examine the scientific theories, concepts, and evidence regarding VCM's REDD+ projects, highlighting limitations on the quantification of their purported benefits that are inherent to the current design of carbon markets. Independent studies consistently point to shortcomings in the rigor and credibility of crediting methodologies and other procedures, which market players have been slow or reluctant to address. There is accumulating evidence that projects' climate and social impacts are often exaggerated due to a range of technical and practical shortcomings. We hope this work clarifies widespread misconceptions associated with REDD+ projects in the VCM and assists organizations and policymakers in their efforts to meaningfully mitigate climate change
Details
- Title
- Demystifying the Romanticized Narratives About Carbon Credits From Voluntary Forest Conservation
- Authors
- Thales A.P. West (Corresponding Author) - University of CambridgeKelsey Alford-Jones - University of California, BerkeleyPhilippe Delacote - AgroParisTechPhilip M. Fearnside - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da AmazôniaBen Filewod - Canadian Forest ServiceBen Groom - University of ExeterClemens Kaupa - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamAndreas Kontoleon - University of CambridgeTara L'Horty - Climate Economics Chair, Paris, FranceBenedict S. Probst - ETH ZurichFederico Riva - Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamClaudia Romero - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research CentreErin O. Sills - North Carolina State UniversityBritaldo Soares-Filho - Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisDa Zhang - Tsinghua UniversitySven Wunder - European Forest InstituteFrancis E. Putz - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
- Publication details
- Global Change Biology, Vol.31(10), pp.1-11
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1111/gcb.70527
- ISSN
- 1365-2486; 1354-1013
- PMID
- 41078114
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991185245202621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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