New publication exposes links between REDD and carbon trading, International Financial Institutions, extractive industries, GMO trees and biotech  

  

No REDD, A Reader aspires to broaden the debate on the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) mechanism. It aims to highlight critical perspectives that are frequently drowned out by large NGOs, corporative lobbies, governments, carbon traders, international financial institutions and the United Nations.

This collection of articles reveals how REDD is being used to establish a new set of tradable property rights based on trees and other environmental services, while at the same time propping up extractive industries.

From an environmental perspective, REDD will not save the climate nor protect forests, nor will it stop dangerous emissions levels. In fact, REDD will offer polluting industries a way to avoid emissions reduction through cheap REDD offsets and allow them to actually increase pollution.

From an indigenous and human rights perspective, REDD criminalises the Peoples who protect and rely on forests. Furthermore, there are no enforceable REDD safeguards at the national or sub-national level that would guarantee protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and forest-dependent communities.

Meanwhile, carbon traders eager for the large sums of money offered by REDD schemes are already forcing Indigenous and forest-dependent Peoples to sign away their land rights. Several examples of how this is already happening are highlighted in this reader.

The articles are clustered in three chapters: The first chapter outlines the relation of REDD with the carbon market and various financing mechanisms. The second chapter critiques some of the players involved including extractive industries, geoengineering and GMO trees. The third chapter looks at case studies which explore problems with the Socio Bosque Programme in Ecuador, the threat to Indigenous Peoples in voluntary isolation in Perú, corruption and coercion in the REDD scheme in Papua New Guinea, the real face of “community participation” in Indonesia, among others. The publication also holds three landmark statements from social movements warning of the dangers of REDD.

REDD is the wrong direction. The grassroots and social movements demand to be heard and this collection allows us to hear and heed some of these brave and inspiring voices.


“No REDD – A Reader is a must read for all who seek to know the truth about this mercantilist tool. It is also highly recommended for those who believe that policies to fight the current climate chaos must see the people and Mother Earth and not merely see trees as commodities for cash and carbon speculation,”
- Nnimmo Bassey, Chair of Friends of the Earth International and   Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action in Nigeria



Download NO REDD, a Reader in English or Spanish at: noredd.makenoise.org

Download the Press Release here


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