COP27 FAQ: Article 6 of the Paris Agreement explained

The rules governing carbon markets agreed at the COP26 in Glasgow need to be translated into functioning and effective mechanisms at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh. This handy Carbon Market Watch guide explains Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, how it works and main the issues at stake.

New UN global carbon market must involve civil society to serve the climate and local communities

The new body tasked with designing and supervising the global carbon market under the Paris Agreement must put in place environmental safeguards and protect the interests of local and indigenous communities. At the end of July, the UN body in charge of overseeing the new global carbon market agreed at last year’s COP26 Glasgow, under …

FAQ: Deciphering Article 6 of the Paris Agreement

The rules governing carbon markets agreed at the COP26 in Glasgow have sparked significant interest and confusion. If you are among the perplexed, this handy Carbon Market Watch guide provides answers to frequently asked questions about Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. What is Article 6? What is the difference between the Article 6.2 and …

October editorial: COP26 and the rise of the climate inactivists

We fight the climate wars no longer only against denialists but also against what climate scientist Michael Mann calls “inactivists”, writes Sabine Frank.  I don’t know at which UN climate conference this trend began, but at COP15 in Copenhagen, the shift was certainly not yet apparent. The recent BBC ‘conspiracy thriller’ The Trick is a  …

COP26: Five reasons why carbon markets (Article 6) matter

Carbon markets are high on the agenda at the UN’s COP26 climate change conference. Carbon Market Watch’s Gilles Dufrasne has prepared this handy guide to explain the issues at stake related to Article 6. The next UN climate change conference (COP26) kicks off this weekend. One of the key items up for negotiation is the …

Briefing for ministerial discussions on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement

Introduction: The UK COP Presidency has planned informal ministerial consultations on July 7 and July 12, in order to make progress on Article 6, which is still in stalemate despite recent technical discussions. Ministers have been asked to discuss a set of framing questions on three key sticking points: double counting of emissions, possible transition …

Carbon Market Watch input to SBSTA on matters related to article 6 of the Paris Agreement

Views on the rapid operationalisation of article 6 This submission is part of a series of submissions responding to the monthly calls from the SBSTA chair covering several aspects of article 6 The operationalisation of Article 6 should guarantee integrity, transparency and inclusiveness. Speed should not undermine the overall objective of contributing to the Paris …

Companies can do better than offsetting

Relying on paying someone else to reduce emissions is risky and unsustainable. Therefore, private companies should stop “offsetting” and instead financially help poorer countries reach their climate targets and foster sustainable development. Voluntary carbon markets are booming as businesses across the world make climate-neutrality pledges. These plans often rely on the purchase of credits from …

Carbon Market Watch response to Inception Impact Assessment on the EU ETS

Key elements for the revision of the EU ETS The upcoming revision of the EU Emission Trading System represents a crucial opportunity to strengthen the Directive and ensure it contributes to the goals of the Paris Agreement.  Carbon Market Watch believes that the upcoming review should include the following elements.  An increase of the Linear …

NGO letter ahead of ISWG-GHG

The IMO Initial Strategy, the historic 2018 climate deal agreed to by over 100 countries, risks being undermined at negotiations next week – the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships. The three most important principles of the IMO Initial Strategy are: The agreement that the Paris Agreement applies to shipping. Specifically, …