Study finds that carbon finance is not a one-size-fits-all solution to deforestation
Halting the pace at which we’re destroying the world’s forests for agriculture, forestry, mines, and other economic development projects is crucial to combating climate change. Carbon finance, which involves creating monetary incentives for companies and countries to invest in programs to reduce carbon emissions, is one potential solution being employed today. Though large-scale financial flows have yet to materialize, and it’s still unclear just how effective the strategy will prove to be for funding efforts to keep forests standing, many REDD+ projects and other conservation initiatives have been designed to take advantage of current or future revenues from carbon markets. But a study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters earlier this month found that, while carbon finance can be effective in the right circumstances, it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
