Statement From Conservation International CEO Ahead of COP26: Global Community Must Finalize Article 6 Carbon Trading Rules

Arlington, VA (October 28, 2021) – Today Dr. M. Sanjayan, Conservation International CEO, released the following statement calling for strong, clear and equitable rules under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement ahead of COP26 in Glasgow:

“I have long spoken about our generation being lucky because we are the first to have the necessary information to predict and prevent climate change. The global pandemic has shown us in the starkest terms that we need to tackle global issues together, to support vulnerable communities, and help to reduce disparities between countries.

“These goals are embodied in the Paris Agreement and the cooperative mechanisms in Article 6 — which outlines how countries can cooperate on the vital task of reducing carbon emissions — but the rules are incomplete. We must all come away from COP26 with a complete rulebook that is clear, coherent with the current global carbon budget, and equitable to developing countries. We had a chance to do this at the last COP in Madrid and failed. If this COP ends without finalized rules on Article 6 — strong and clear rules that allow carbon trading across all sectors — it’s not unfair to say this COP will have been a failure.

“COP26 is a clear inflection point for the planet, and a critical opportunity to finish what we started in Paris. We need all options on the table to take with us into this decade, and a well-regulated market mechanism for carbon is a critical part of this toolset. Through well-defined terms for collaboration we can democratize access to critical climate finance. We have local communities and entire nations that have been preparing for over a decade now to receive funding to scale natural climate solutions, including over 1.6 billion people that depend on forests for their livelihoods. We owe them to follow through on our promises to invest in forests and nature. And we must start with a clear and rigorous Article 6 rulebook that guarantees high-quality markets that respect human rights, allows us all to go further and faster with investments in each other and nature, and levels the playing field so we can all, together, forge a path forward for keeping global temperature rise to 1.5^oC.”

Background:

Guidance on Article 6 is the only section of the Paris Agreement Rulebook yet to be finalized, and it is the section that outlines how countries can choose to cooperate on emission reductions.

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About Conservation International Conservation International works to protect the critical benefits that nature provides to people. Through science, partnerships and fieldwork, Conservation International is driving innovation and investments in nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, supporting protections for critical habitats, and fostering economic development that is grounded in the conservation of nature. Conservation International works in 30 countries around the world, empowering societies at all levels to create a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable planet. Follow Conservation International's work on Conservation News, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.