So. American group opposes carbon trades

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CANCUN, Mexico, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Bolivian President Evo Morales told the U.N. climate change conference Thursday emissions trading might hurt indigenous peoples and poor countries.

Bolivia, backed by Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela, is pushing delegations at the conference in Cancun, Mexico, to reject the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation plan, Voice of America reported. The plan allows richer countries to acquire carbon credits by paying poor countries to preserve their forests.

Morales and his allies oppose carbon markets. The United Nations backs the REDD plan, but the coalition has some support from non-government organizations.

Janet Redman of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington said carbon markets do not encourage local development.

"It doesn't deliver; it's not additional," she said. "It's been used for some incredibly harmful projects for communities who live in the local area. So to put the last remaining forests on the market seems to me an incredibly irresponsible thing to do."