Press Conference: HOME Alliance says ‘No’ to ‘Removals’ and Geoengineering

17 Nov 2022

WHO: Global Forest Coalition (GFC), Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN), ETC Group, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF)

WHERE: COP27, Press Conference Room 2 Luxor

WHEN: Thursday, 17th November at 16:30-17:00 GMT+2 (local Egypt time)

CONTACT: Laura Dunn, ETC Group (in Canada): +1 514 607 9979 / Björn Ecklundt, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung (in Egypt): +49 160 91392672 / Cate Bonacini (in US): +1-510-520-9109 (WhatsApp/Signal)

Sharm El Sheikh – The Hands Off Mother Earth Alliance (HOME) is coming together to denounce the draft recommendations of the Supervisory Body on Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement. They argue that incorporating any form of “removals” in carbon markets can push the door open to risky land and geoengineering-based schemes, which present dangerous risks to ecosystems and communities. Since the Supervisory Body concluded its third meeting on Saturday 6th November with draft recommendations on removal activities to the CMA (also known as the Conference of Parties to the Paris Agreement), there has been active debate about the text itself and issues related to public participation in the meetings themselves. Speakers will address the current state of negotiations and what lies ahead for Article 6.4.

At the start of COP27, HOME released a statement calling on the CMA to keep geoengineering out of carbon markets and reject the current recommendations from the 6.4 Supervisory Body on “removals,” among other demands.The groups argue that the draft opens the door for “all removals,” which in an information note under consideration, includes land and engineering-based activities ranging from bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), enhanced rock weathering/ocean alkalinisation and ocean fertilization. Worryingly, this would welcome marine geoengineering via ocean carbon dioxide removal (CDR), which is in direct opposition to the London Convention London Protocol, which already prohibits ocean fertilisation and is evaluating other geoengineering techniques for regulation. Further, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), following a precautionary approach, agreed on a moratorium on all climate-related geoengineering in 2010.

Through the HOME manifesto, the HOME Alliance has scrutinised and challenged the nature of different removal activities, based on their practices which require large amounts of land, water and energy. The resources required for these practices would surpass our carbon budget when considering their full life cycle and would have serious implications for human rights, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples. HOME has also rejected land-based carbon offsetting, which this mechanism endorses and enables.

Speakers: Souparna Lahiri (GFC), Peg Putt (EPN / Biomass Working Group), Panganga Pungowiyi (IEN), Neth Daño (ETC Group), Nnimmo Bassey (HOMEF), Erika Lennon (CIEL)

Live webcast available: https://unfccc.int/event/global-forest-coalition-2

You can view the statement here: https://www.geoengineeringmonitor.org/2022/11/unfccc-article-6-4-no-to-legitimizing-geoengineering-and-land-based-offsets/

Hands Off Mother Earth (HOME) is an alliance of 200+ civil society organisations, climate justice movements and Indigenous Peoples in 45 countries which opposes geoengineering as a dangerous, unnecessary and unjust proposal to tackle the climate crisis.