Current legal structures in the Philippines often treat forest carbon projects as land leases or extractive resource activities. However, carbon projects create value through preservation and ecological stability rather than extraction, making traditional leasing laws a poor fit for these initiatives. This analysis argues that carbon credits should be viewed as regulatory instruments rather than physical natural resources. By shifting the legal perspective from land appropriation to the performance of environmental services, the Philippines can resolve uncertainties that currently hinder climate mitigation projects on public lands.
