COP26; Civil Coalition Criticises Carbon Offset Programs

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of environmental groups have criticized the carbon offset scheme that is set to be discussed in the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP26), which is one of the solutions offered by member countries to tackle global climate change deemed as a mere “greenwashing” by Greenpeace Indonesia representative Khalisah Khalid. 

“Every corporation that announces funds in protecting the forest through a carbon offset scheme are merely greenwashing if they are not truly committed to lower carbon emissions,” said Khalisah in a written statement on November 1.

Citing waste4change.com, the carbon offset programs carbon offsets represent the production of a certain amount of sustainable energy to counterbalance the use of fossil fuels. A certain company as a producer for carbon emissions is able to conduct offset investments. 

The Alliance of Indegenious People (AMAN) said carbon offset could potentially give birth to injustice for groups that are prone to the environmental crises, which include indegenious people that are still victims of laws in Indonesia. 

“This mechanism can potentially become a new vehicle for looters of customary land,” said the AMAN secretary general Rukka Sombolinggi in the same statement.

She maintains that countries and global communities should no longer dwell in market mechanism, however, it must be focused on supporting, preserving, and protecting practices of indegenious community. 

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) campaign manager Yuyun Harmono said application of market mechanisms and natural permits can add to the long chain of conflict with indegenious communities. He said this scheme has the potential to become a systemic land and forest grab under ‘greenwashing schemes’ and climate restoration. 

Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) executive director Mufti Barri on Monday refuted the statement of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo at the G20 Summit who claimed deforestation in Indonesia had decreased. 

Barri countered the President’s claim and insisted that deforestation had actually increased to 1.47 million hectares annually from 2013-2017, which is higher compared to 2009-2013 that logged 1.1 million hectares. 

“Even though Indonesia had pledged to suppress the rate of deforestation,” said Mufti in a press statement on November 1. 

Read: President Jokowi Arrives in Glasgow for COP26 Climate Summit

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