Redd Carbon Offsets – The Problem Of Leakage

With 20%-25% of total annual global carbon emissions estimated as being the result of logging, REDD carbon offsets are considered a vital component to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). REDD was internationally ratified at the 2009 Copenhagen Conference on climate change, with financial commitments made by many developed nations. Norway is the largest donor and has already committed over $120 million in funds between 2008 and 2011 to forest protection projects developing REDD carbon offsets.

35 partner countries in Asia, Latin America and Africa have signed up to developing REDD projects to protect their forests and resulting in REDD Carbon Offsets. For every ton of carbon emissions prevented by protecting tropical forest one REDD carbon offset is awarded, which can then be sold to polluting industry, offsetting their greenhouse gas emissions and eventually funding the REDD projects and indigenous communities who are being actively involved in the projects.

The concern raised is that REDD carbon offsets will be nullified by leakage. Leakage means that logging which would have taken place in the zone of the REDD project is simply displaced to surrounding forest areas, meaning no real additionality is achieved. However, it is for that very reason that REDD, although in its early stages, is intended to be so far reaching and inclusive. To prevent leakage and ensure REDD carbon offsets really do offset overall international carbon emissions, all of the remaining tropical rainforest around the world, must fall under REDD protection.

There is clear evidence that crack-downs on illegal logging, including REDD, have been making significant progress in reducing the quantities of illegally sourced timber coming to market. The fact that REDD is so heavily supported financially and politically around the world, gives hope that leakage will be minimized and eventually stopped altogether. If this can be achieved REDD carbon offsets will make a significant contribution to reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions towards Kyoto targets.

By: Tonka Dobreva

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If this can be achieved REDD carbon offsets will make a significant contribution to reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions towards Kyoto targets.