Foreword for the Special Issue on Carbon Markets in Small-scale Forestry

Abstract

Climate change is an issue of global concern. The international community has formed policies that establish market-based mechanisms as a principal means of achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and climate change mitigation. Carbon markets—markets associated with the trade of greenhouse gas emissions offsets and regulator-issued permits (mandatory/regulated and voluntary) to emit greenhouse gases—have thus evolved over the last 5 years to be large and important centres of economic activity. Forests feature prominently in carbon markets, primarily as sinks for the sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions and the production of tradeable carbon offsets. There is a great opportunity to use carbon offsets as a complementary source of financial returns to promote sustainable forest management—particularly in the context of small-scale forestry—and enhance livelihoods, rehabilitate ecosystem services and contribute to the development of communities more resilient to the effects of climate change. However, to date less than 1% of all carbon offset projects globally have involved forest management; most have involved making industrial processes cleaner or the development of renewable energy. This special issue of Small-scale Forestry presents research on some of the reasons for the dearth of small-scale forest-related carbon offset projects globally, and investigates the implications for improved carbon forestry policy. There are various factors constraining the development of more carbon forestry projects. Some relate to the administrative and technical difficulties involved with engaging in carbon markets. A complex policy malaise frames the way forests feature in carbon markets, with different rules and provisions made for how offsets can be generated through planted versus natural forests, and forests located in developing countries versus forests located in developed countries. Some of the papers in this special issue proffer frameworks and explanations about carbon