Carbon Rights

The report The Carbon Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and Local Communities in Tropical and Subtropical Lands and Forests, published by the Rights and Resources Initiative, offers the most detailed legal analysis to date on carbon rights in 33 countries.

About Carbon Rights

• Carbon rights refer to legal entitlements to benefit from the carbon stored in ecosystems like forests. These rights are crucial for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs), who have traditionally safeguarded forests but often lack formal recognition of their land and resource rights.
• According to the UN-REDD Programme, carbon rights can carry financial value in carbon markets and define management responsibilities.
• However, in many countries, carbon rights are poorly defined, especially in contexts with unclear land tenure or weak legal institutions.
• This legal gap prevents IPLCs from equitably participating in carbon credit markets or benefit-sharing schemes.
• Carbon rights can be – but are not necessarily – tied to the ownership of forest land.
• Carbon revenue can also be shared among stakeholders, e.g., different levels of government.