Climate Talks End Amidst Fears Over Carbon Colonialism

The inclusion of forests in carbon markets would allow rich countries to

buy their way out of greenhouse gas emission reductions and threaten

local communities who could be expelled from their forests.

Friends of the Earth US International Climate Campaigner Kate Horner said:

"It has been very worrying to see these negotiations speed along in a

dangerous direction without any genuine participation from those

communities who will be most directly affected if their forests are put

into carbon markets. Local communities want their land rights to be

respected, and not to have their forests sold to allow rich countries to

continue polluting as usual. Reading between the lines, there is a major

push toward financing plantations which would be disastrous for the

world's last remaining forests."

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT IN ACCRA:

Kate Horner, Friends of the Earth US: Tel: +1 360 319 9444 (US mobile)

George Awudi, Friends of the Earth Ghana: Tel: +233 27 7432 014