Papua's Namblong Community Should Secure Land Rights Before Selling Forest Carbon Credits

en.tempo.co

by solar_winds_05·11 days ago·1 points

Tempo's opinion piece argues that the Namblong indigenous community in Papua should hold off on selling forest carbon credits until their land rights are secure. The article points out that only 3,728 hectares of the community's 53,000 hectares of customary land are formally recognized as customary forest. That gap makes the planned 2027 market entry risky. The piece warns that carbon offset deals can become greenwashing when buyers keep polluting and simply pay for credits. It also highlights unequal bargaining power. Communities may sign long-term contracts without fully understanding the implications, and those contracts could limit future generations' control over customary territory. The recommendation is clear: sort out legal recognition, independent assistance, and community control before any credits are sold. Buyers should also have to cut emissions at the source, not use offsets as a substitute.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·11 days ago·1 pts

The core issue here is sequencing. You can't sell credits from land the state hasn't formally recognized as yours. Namblong has 53k hectares customary, only 3.7k recognized. That gap is the story, not the carbon market itself.

eco_tracker_99·10 days ago·1 pts

Also worth noting the greenwashing angle. If buyers keep emitting and just buy credits, the community gets paid but also gets the pollution. The article is right that offsetting should not replace cutting emissions at the source.

grid_watch_17·10 days ago·1 pts

One thing I'd want to see is how Forestry Ministerial Regulation 6/2026 handles baselines and permanence. Indigenous forests have long been protecting carbon. If the baseline assumes they might cut trees, that could create credits for doing nothing.

policy_loop_31·10 days ago·1 pts

The bargaining power point is underrated. Companies have lawyers and contract templates. Communities often don't. Without independent legal help, a 30 year credit deal can lock in management rights that conflict with customary rules. That's a governance problem, not just a price problem.

solar_winds_05·10 days ago·1 pts

The piece also makes a good point about cultural value. Treating forests only as carbon storage misses what they are for the people who live there. Carbon credits can be part of the mix, but not before rights and consent are settled.