Mongabay: "Climate negotiators focus on carbon credits, underplay human rights"

This article by Justin Catanoso describes the climate talks in Bonn, Germany, which address (among other things) a new mechanism to direct funding towards clean energy projects in developing countries.  The current mechanism, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), has supported more than 7,000 projects since 2006. Some of its largest projects, including dams, have been criticized for violating the human rights of local and indigenous people.  The article quotes Special Rapporteur John Knox's letter to the negotiators stating:  “The main problem with the Clean Development Mechanism has always been that it lacks effective safeguards to ensure that human rights are taken into account.  To ensure that the new mechanism does not repeat those mistakes, I have made a number of recommendations on social and environmental safeguards, including prior assessment, requirements of participation, and the establishment of effective grievance mechanisms, which would go a long way toward protecting human rights.”