An NGO statement on forests in voluntary carbon markets

Summary

• Forest protection and restoration is in urgent need of increased financial support, but cannot be used to offset fossil emissions
• Financial contributions should be directed at jurisdictional programs addressing deforestation and forest degradation, rather than stand-alone projects, as they provide incentives for improved land use policies in a way project-level interventions cannot 
• Buyers/financiers must ensure that the programmes they provide results-based finance to use up-to-date, reliable and conservative baselines, pursue ambitious policies, and apply strict and comprehensive social and environmental safeguards
• Indigenous Peoples and local communities should be fully involved in forest protection programmes, including in benefit-sharing, as this leads to more effective climate action.

Full statement here