Kathleen and Gep-ed colleagues I’ve read your call to action and the letter you plan to send to the CARB. I agree with your concerns, BUT also think you would be better served by having a proposal and/or offering ideas on what a TFS-based offset program would need to provide and how it would need to be monitored, to be able to participate in the offsets. I think that amongst the many signatories and others, you could conceive of projects/programs that would indeed result in GHG reductions that are more likely to be additional and with minimal leakage. This could include outright land purchases that included ongoing sustainable exploitation by those already living there—and if needed, by programs to enable them to live in a more sustainable manner. Basically, don’t just say no, but also offer what might be something that could work, given all the experience you’ve gained from past programs.
Critical statements can be made of all current offset programs on additionality, leakage, etc. Climate change emissions reduction programs and the emissions themselves typically impact atmospheric and nature’s responses on longer timelines than many of us will be alive to confirm that efforts to reduce them succeeded. So… given the many other benefits of reducing deforestation, can we help CARB develop credible and trackable projects and programs with the CA GHG offset $ to get more reforestation, less deforestation, more sustainable living practices by those living in these high biodiversity forests? I hope you concur with my thoughts and add at least a paragraph offering to work with the CARB to develop useful criteria for a TFS based option. Perhaps some of your signatories are willing to offer to participate in a working group to that effect. Sincerely, Rafael Friedmann Clean Energy Consultant From: Kathleen McAfee Sent: Thursday, November 8, 2018 3:39 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [gep-ed] scholars' open letter on California tropical forest offsetsproposal Dear friends and colleagues, Forgive me if you've already seen this open letter to the California Air Resources Board. Please sign it have done research relevant to REDD+/PES, carbon trading/offsets, tropical forest conservation, etc. and agree with our message of caution. We have 50+ signatures so far; hope to get more by Nov. 11. We'll present it at a pubic ARB session on Nov. 16. Links to letter & sign-on are below. Here's the story: The ARB may soon approve yet another way for the state's biggest greenhouse-gas emitters to buy their way out of their legal obligations by purchasing dubious offsets, this time in the global South. ARB's proposed new Tropical Forest Standard would link California's cap-and-trade program to subnational states in the forested tropics. This is a bad idea for reasons we have tried to summarize in the letter. It would set a terrible international precedent as California officials continue to promote the state's climate policy as a model for the world. Until now the ARB has mainly taken its cues from environmental economists, its own technical staff, big green NGOs, carefully vetted officials and indigenous spokespeople from Brazil and Mexico, and consultants with personal and career interests in carbon trading and forest conservation financed by offsets. The ARB board and staff seem unaware of the actual record and problems of REDD+ PES, and when told about this, respond that their proposed "jurisdictional REDD" would surmount such problems. Our letter voices widespread concerns about forest carbon offset programs shared by so many geographers and other researchers who are closer to understanding how these projects are working on the ground. We three authors are approaching this from different perspectives but we think the case against this TFS initiative is very strong. We are not condemning REDD+, etc., nor offsets in general in the letter. We are stressing the ways that the TFS could implicate the state in harmful practices, would fail to achieve any net environmental gain, and fails to meet California's legislated requirements. Please sign if you agree, and circulate the letter to other scholars with academic credentials who have worked on REDD/PES, carbon trading/offsetting, tropical forests/conservation/development, etc. We will be adding more citations: suggestions appreciated. ** You can add your name to the letter at THIS LINK: Here is a link to the letter. Here is information about the Tropical Forest Standard and how to submit individual letters to the ARB. Do let us know if you have questions or comments. Kathy -- Kathleen McAfee Professor, International Relations San Francisco State University [email protected] Everyone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine-produced wealth is shared, or most people can end up miserably poor if the machine-owners successfully lobby against wealth redistribution. Stephen Hawking -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gep-ed" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gep-ed" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
