Carbon credit plans should be factor in water safety

02 April 2025 07:43 PM IST Despite climate conversations, funding bottles impede action. India pleads for differentiated responsibilities, but develops countries resistance. Local solutions are crucial. Despite 29 years of climate crisis discussions, finances remain the most important bottleneck for large-scale action, as multilateral treaties do not institutionalize the financing of the financing to push the planet on a low-carbon growth track. India maintained the principle of a ‘general but differentiated responsibility’, allowing developing countries to provide more carbon emissions space to meet their developmental needs, while the developed world produces its emissions and financially supports the global south to reduce emissions. However, global Northern countries have continually resisted to own their responsibilities. Add to this the growing influence of the hyper-consumer class (the billionaire club), which attempts to even turn this emergency into an opportunity for greater profits, or push their vision on utopia (on this planet or on another). Although effective, solar pumps can extract underground water throughout the day without any regulatory supervision (HT photo) in the heart of this IMBROGLIO, a war between the developed countries ‘views of the climate crisis, which requires a large set of solutions and developing countries’ views that it requires local solutions. One financing tool that gets attention is a world market for carbon credits. Carbon credits are permits or certificates that allow the container to radiate a certain amount of greenhouse gases, with one credit that usually represents one ton of carbon dioxide equivalent. If carbon credits are earned by supplementing, repairing or managing natural resources, the nature -based carbon credits are referred to. One of the most popular ways to earn such carbon credits is through tree planting programs. The assumption here is that trees will follow carbon over their lifetime and provide other benefits for the ecosystem. It looks almost too good to be true, and it’s actually. Carbon credits create a local problem: trees need more than carbon to grow; They also need water. Consider farmers in a warm, dry region with severe water shortages as they strive to grow their crops. Now provide the introduction of low-cost solar pumps that provide the ability to irrigate fields, which eliminate the dependence on expensive fossil fuels and significantly increase crop production. At first glance, it seems to be a blessing for both farmers and governments, with the potential to revolutionize agriculture and promote food security. However, such interventions have further exhausted underground underground water reserves, revealing a deeper, more complicated problem. Although effective, solar pumps can extract underground water throughout the day without any regulatory supervision. This unmarked extraction will lead to aquifers drying up in these areas. This unforeseen pressure probably leaves communities more vulnerable than before. The overuse of groundwater represents a classic tragedy of the Commons, with the most vulnerable populations carrying most of the impact. Planting trees as a climate solution threatens to aggravate the problem. In countries such as India, soil is suitable for mass tree plantation programs, rare because it has already been converted to farm use, or other productive uses. The only countries that are available then are those in the semi -arid or dryer regions of the country with naturally sparse vegetation. It is tempting to view these barren desert countries as an excellent target for bosing programs that will not only re -regreed these landscapes, but may also earn revenue for project advocates. However, these dry regions have never supported forests by nature, especially due to a lack of water. Trees require large amounts of water for optimal growth, and to achieve rapid results, groundwater is either extracted or brought in from distant sources. If carbon credits of these sites are sold to companies in the global north, it exports essentially groundwater – a source already in the base place. Critical ecosystem services are therefore not considered, with the risk of impoverishing important resources in the pursuit of carbon survey. The use of water has so far not been considered. India is about to start its national carbon market, a significant step to achieving its ambitious climate goals and such reflection is needed. The use of a system approach to nature -based climate solutions with the sectoral collaboration is the way to move forward. Encouraging collaboration between water management, agricultural, energy and climate policy sectors can help design solutions that the broader ecosystem considers. Implementing strategies for climate adaptation that works with nature, such as the recovery of wetlands or agricultural forests, can have various benefits, including water saving, carbon sequestration and biodiversity protection. Trust, transparency and a rounded perspective are essential if we want to develop effective, sustainable strategies that really benefit people and the planet. The story of solar pumps is a powerful reminder that good intentions are not enough. Without careful consideration and supervision, even the most promising solutions can lead to unintended consequences that aggravate the problems they have designed. Abi Vanak and Anuja Malhotra are at the Center for Policy Design at Atrree. The opinion expressed is personal