Promise or pipe dream? Prospects for decentralization and carbon credit certification

Abstract: This study examined The International Small Group and Tree Planting Program (TIST), a decentralized tree planting project with the double objective of mitigating climate change and selling carbon credits, while also empowering subsistence farmers. TIST is certified by the Community, Climate and Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA), an independent body which guarantees that greenhouse gas reduction projects also generate positive benefits for local communities and biodiversity. The study tested two rival perspectives on decentralization, and assessed whether CCBA lives up to its commitment of granting net community benefits through its projects. The key findings were that TIST has empowered poor subsistence farmers, but has low accountability and has reinforced some inequalities. The overall conclusion was therefore that TIST and the CCB certification do generate net positive benefits for the local community, even though only to a moderate degree. As TIST can be considered a most likely case for successful decentralization, this study indicated poor performance of decentralization strategies in general. However, the study also suggested that more research be carried out on how underlying circumstances affect the utcome of decentralized governance.