Review: green Hour: “contradictions of nature based solutions: insights from brazil” (maria Backhouse)

Biodiversity is one of the key factors regarding climate change and it is closely linked to environmental policies. In her Green Hour talk, environmental sociologist Maria Backhouse focused on REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation plus other forest related activities). The United Nations program aims to issue out certificates to be acquired by countries like Brazil but they can also be bought by private companies. As Prof. Dr. Backhouse pointed out, the externalization of driving climate factors to peripheral regions is highly problematic due to speculation, false labeling, and the exclusion of local communities, who lose control over their territory. According to Backhouse, the “new externalities” distract from the real causes of climate change.