Indigenous leaders call for a halt to carbon markets at a UN forum

Indigenous activists at the UN Permanent Forum urge a stop to carbon markets, citing detrimental effects on native communities.

Maria Parazo Rose reports for Grist.

In short:

• The Indigenous Environmental Network advocate for ending carbon markets, describing them as harmful and ineffective tools to stop climate change.
• The group presented their stance at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, aiming to influence broader UN climate policies.
• Advocates are asking to modify article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which regulates carbon markets. They ask for embedding Indigenous rights and consent in carbon market frameworks.

Key quote:

"Article 6 is all about carbon markets, which is a smokescreen, which is a loophole [that keeps] fossil fuel polluters from agreeing to phase out carbon."

— Tom Goldtooth, executive director of the Indigenous Environmental Network.

Why this matters:

While carbon market projects are intended to be beneficial to the environment and communities, they've frecuently have lead to negative impacts, disrupting indigenous communities and violating their right to self-determination.

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