Carbon colonialism: How forest-related carbon removal projects in the Global South reproduce colonial power structures

Abstract

Current efforts to limit global warming are falling short and forest-related carbon dioxide removal (CDR) projects are increasingly relied upon by states to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. CDR in the forest sector encompasses reforestation, reduced deforestation, afforestation, as well as silvicultural investment and sustainable forest management. The term carbon colonialism was introduced to describe CDR-projects as a new variation of colonialism by using climate policies to reproduce power structures that allow for the exploitation of the Global South. Under this term, CDR-projects have been criticised for promoting continued overconsumption, placing the burden of the resulting negative environmental impacts on the Global South, and reproducing historically oppressive systems with colonial dynamics. As forestry is mentioned as a priority in terms of adaptation and mitigation in achieving the Paris goals in around 50% of the Nationally Determined Contributions as updated in 2021, the number of CDR-projects on an international level will increase in the coming years and it is therefore crucial to consider these justice-related problems. This paper unveils and criticises power structures that are present in the discourse on CDR-projects and spaces for action by conducting a Postcolonial Critical Discourse Analysis (PCDA) of the UNFCCC annual reports, COP session documents, as well as related COP documents from the UNFCCC platforms REDD+ and Climate Action, retrieved from the UNFCCC website in the period of 2015 to 2021, yielding a sample of 231 texts. Postcolonial theory is aimed at uncovering issues of oppression, inequality and fighting for equal access to resources and power internationally. This is combined with Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), a research strategy focused on highlighting power imbalances and injustices in textual discourse and how these are reproduced and perpetuated. The insights from this research reveal that carbon colonialism is present in the discourse on CDR-projects as most projects take place or are planned in the Global South and there is an overemphasis of its potential positive effects and relative ignorance of its potential negative effects and environmental justice issues. There is currently still limited political liberation of formerly colonised countries and addressing this in international climate discourse is a first step in challenging these power inequalities and advancing the cause of environmental and social justice.