Climate change has thrust the many decades long fight against deforestation back in to the international spotlight and rightly so -- deforestation is an urgent problem that affects the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, and the climate and biodiversity. However, in climate change policy-making arenas, a new mechanism called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation is being held up as a cheap, easy and fast way to reduce greenhouse gases by creating financial incentives, in the form of carbon credits, to compel those engaged in deforestation or forest degradation to switch to less damaging activities.

However, the current focus on counting carbon stored in trees risks missing the forest for the trees. Deforestation is a complex socio–political and economic problem which cannot be solved by cash alone. There are many cases where substantial international funds have been allocated to saving forests, but to no effect, and REDD is in danger of repeating this failed pattern. Even worse, allowing polluting industries in wealthy countries, like the United States, to purchase carbon credits instead of reducing their own emissions will not reduce greenhouse gas emissions in those countries most responsible causing the climate crisis. 

Instead, all countries need to enact policies that addressing the underlying drivers of deforestation, including poor forest governance in developing countries and increased demand for wood and agricultural products around the world. Friends of the Earth continues to demonstrate why forests are poorly suited to carbon offset trading and advance more effective solutions to halt forest loss.