What is the state of play of the talks on the Paris Agreement market mechanisms? How do we ensure that markets reduce emissions instead of shifting them around the globe? And that climate action drives sustainable development and benefits local communities? A Carbon Market Watch webinar on Monday 25th of November took a deep dive…
At the COP 22 climate conference in Marrakesh, countries continued debating the review of the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which will serve as a model for the newly established Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM). Parties generally shied away from controversial topics, such as demands to establish a grievance mechanism. In order for the CDM review…
Carbon Market Watch welcomes the opportunity to provide input to the CDM Executive Board on issues included in the annotated agenda of the 90th meeting, particularly on the following agenda items: Agenda item 2.3. Performance management Action 11: key messages for the annual report Action 15: guidance to improving the user-friendliness of the sustainable development…
Executive Summary Countries’ obligations under international human rights law are well established. These include the obligations to respect, protect, and fulfill human rights, which are applicable in the context of climate change. Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) recognize that they must respect human rights—including procedural rights—in all climate-related actions….
24 April 2016 Dear Mr Buendia, Dear Mr Wolke, We, the April 10 Movement for the Defense of the Tabasará River (M-10), Alianza para la Conservación y el Desarrollo (ACD) and Asociación Ambientalista de Chiriqui (ASAMCHI), are writing to provide stakeholder comments regarding the ongoing human rights concerns associated with the Barro Blanco Hydroelectric Power Plant…
In February 2015, the Panamanian government suspended construction of the Barro Blanco hydro dam after recognising shortcomings in the agreement with affected stakeholders. One year later, and with the suspension now lifted, construction of the dam nears completion with some local communities fearing forced eviction from their homes. Supporters are calling on the Panamanian President to ensure that the affected communities are free from repression.
In February, 2015, the Panamanian government suspended construction of the Barro Blanco hydro dam after recognising the absence of agreement with affected stakeholders. One year later, the suspension has been lifted and the construction is close to completion. However, no dialogue or agreement with the affected local communities is within sight. One year ago, in…
In this edition Maximo Ba Tiul, the head of international relations, presents the Tezulutlan Peoples’ Council, a member organisation of the Network that represents indigenous communities in Guatemala. Could you introduce your organisation? The Tezulutlan People’s Council (Consejo de Pueblos de Tezulutlan, CPT) is a network of Q’echi, Poqomchi’, and Alchi indigenous communities in the…
From 30 November to 12 December 2015, Parties to the UNFCCC met in Paris to negotiate a new global climate treaty.
The Paris Agreement was a remarkable outcome, especially after the failures of Copenhagen. Almost all involved, including Carbon Market Watch, seemed surprised at how positive the outcome was. However, expectations had been carefully managed in the preceding years, so that aspirations of environmentalists to have a treaty that reflected the scientific reality by dividing up the remaining global carbon budget, had been downplayed into unreality.
Paris, 12 December 2015 – Today, at the UN climate talks in Paris a global deal where all countries have agreed to take action on climate change was adopted. Carbon Market Watch comments on the long-term goal, the ambition ratcheting mechanism, provisions for the use of markets, the establishment of a new mechanism, human rights provisions, bunker emissions, pre-2020 action and the impact of the Paris treaty on EU’s climate policies.
Carbon pricing 
International transport 
Climate governance 
Fair climate action