Revaluing Rainforests: The Political Ecology of Market-Based Conservation

Abstract

A key design element of the proposed international carbon market is the commodification of carbon sequestered by forests. The objective of this research has been to better understand the social ramifications of assigning economic value to forest ecosystem services. Through a case study of the world’s largest Payments for Ecosystem Services program: REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation), this research questions how people’s forest perspectives are influenced by the commodification of carbon, to what extent forest-dependent communities are represented in REDD+ deliberations, and the potential socio-economic impacts of monetizing carbon on local people. The methodological approach for this study consisted of ethnographic research in REDD+ pilot villages in Indonesia and extensive interviews with government agencies, international institutions, NGOs, and indigenous rights groups.