Welcome to the first online edition of our NGO newsletter: Watch This! NGO Voices on Carbon Markets

Despite severely over-supplied carbon markets and lacking mitigation commitments, countries are currently developing additional carbon market schemes. At the same time, countries are contemplating what changes are needed to the underlying rules of the CDM. They are also negotiating REDD and other approaches to reduce emissions from international aviation. Throughout all these developments it is of utmost importance to take into account the lessons from the past. In order to achieve real benefits for climate and people, your voice on carbon markets will be important!

In this first 2013 edition you’ll read about theCDM review and what we think can finally be done to address some inherent problems of the CDM. We also explain why emerging national emission trading schemes must beware of copy pasting. Together we’ll take a closer look at the EU’s stop the clock decision on aviation emissions and why countries must get in the loop to agree on a global mechanism to tackle these emissions.

Our guest authors share their experience with carbon markets in India, Vietnam and Panama. Starting in India, you’ll read about mega dams in Sikkim and their impacts on the climate and local peoples. You’ll also get an update from Kalpavalli in Andhra Pradesh, where a community is struggling to protect their livelihoods and ecosystems from the impacts of a CDM project.

In “not a holy cow” we’ll see why environmental impact assessments are also important for renewable energy projects and why existing sustainability criteria do not deliver on the ground. We’ll take a look behind the scenes of Vietnam’s carbon consultancy boom. Finally, you’ll hear about the decision of Panama’s indigenous peoples to withdraw from the UN REDD programme.

Enjoy!

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Watch This! appears quarterly in English and Hindi with campaign updates and opinion pieces from around the world.

If you would like to contribute to the next edition of Watch This! please get in touch with [email protected].

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