Clearing the air1 December 2010
Friends of the Earth launched its new report on alternatives to carbon trading - Clearing the Air - in Cancun, Mexico, today.
The report outlines why carbon trading isn't the solution to climate change, and sets out some of the real solutions for cutting greenhouse gas emissions and delivering climate finance to developing countries.
The proposals in the report have been tailored to avoid affecting ordinary people the UK and other rich countries.
Solutions to reducing climate emissions
The report identifies many real solutions to climate change, including:
Energy
A global feed-in tariff programme that could make renewable energy the default choice of the world as a whole.
Forests
Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation requires tackling the core drivers - most notably the demand for agrofuels, meat and forest products.
Increasing finance
The report shows that at least US$420 bn a year could be generated using a range of financial alternatives to carbon trading to provide money for developing countries to tackle climate change.
Financial transaction tax
A new, global tax on cross-border financial transactions could generate additional government revenue while curbing dangerous speculation in the global financial market.
Tackling tax evasion
Clamping down on tax avoidance in developed countries could provide significant additional government revenue, some of which could be directed towards tackling climate change.
Obsessed by the idea
The current obsession with carbon trading as a primary tool for tackling climate change is high risk, irresponsible and dangerous.
Carbon trading is a distraction from more workable, fairer and more effective solutions for:
- Tackling greenhouse gas emissions
- Providing much needed finance to developing countries
Carbon trading is unreliable, unproven and burdens developing countries with an unfair responsibility for tackling climate change.
Offsetting schemes
Carbon market offsets are also not a legitimate source of climate finance.
They can't guarantee a predictable flow of finance to developing countries for them to tackle climate change and adapt to its impacts.
The biggest financial beneficiary of carbon trading is the Northern carbon-trading industry.
Further information
Clearing the Air: Moving on from carbon trading to real climate solutions
A Dangerous Distraction: Why offsetting is failing people and the climate
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