Carbon Rights: Importance, Conservation and Relevance

Reference:

• The Rights and Resources Initiative has presented an overview of carbon rights in a report titled ‘Carbon Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Peoples of African Descent and Local Communities in Tropical and Subtropical Lands and Forests’.
• This report presents the most comprehensive legal analysis to date of the status of carbon rights in 33 countries.

About Carbon Rights

• Definition: Carbon rights are legal rights that determine who owns the carbon stored in an ecosystem (such as forests or other natural areas) and who is entitled to the benefits generated by it.
• These rights are particularly important in schemes such as ‘REDD+’, which offer financial benefits in exchange for reducing carbon emissions.
• Currently there is no internationally accepted definition of carbon rights. The term carbon rights encompasses two basic concepts:
  • Property rights to store carbon embodied in land, trees, soils etc.
  • Rights to benefits arising from the transfer of these property rights (i.e. through emissions trading schemes)

Importance of carbon rights

• Tackling climate change: Securing carbon stored in forests reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which is important against climate change.
• Empowerment of local communities: If carbon rights are formally given to local or tribal communities, they get economic benefits as well as recognition of ownership over their land and resources.
• Protection of biodiversity: When communities get the right to take care of forests, they protect the environment through traditional methods. This also protects biodiversity.

Relevance to tribal communities

• Tribal and local communities have been protecting forests for centuries, but their land and carbon rights are often not formally recognized.
• By getting this right, they can not only get economic benefits but it will also help in protecting culture, identity and livelihood.
• This will recognize the role of these communities in global climate solutions.
• Where there are no clear rights, carbon markets are often exploited by external agencies while communities that have traditionally managed forests are left behind.

Suggestions to strengthen carbon rights in India

• Legal clarity: Carbon rights should be clearly defined under the Forest Rights Act, 2006 and environmental laws.
• Full implementation of Community Forest Rights (CFR): CFR should be widely implemented to ensure that local communities acquire collective rights over forests.
• Promotion of public participation: Local communities should be given equal opportunity to participate in carbon credit programs.
• Capacity building: Training and technical assistance should be provided to communities so that they can play an active role in carbon management, monitoring and benefit distribution.
• Transparency and accountability: Transparent mechanisms should be ensured in carbon projects so that communities can actually receive the benefits of their rights.