Carbon Credit Schemes Could Worsen Climate Crisis, Warns Nairobi-Based Report

Nairobi, Kenya – As the global spotlight intensifies on carbon markets as a linchpin in climate action strategies, a powerful new report from Nairobi-based Power Shift Africa is raising urgent red flags. The report, released on June 17, warns that far from mitigating climate change, current carbon offset schemes may in fact exacerbate it—potentially unleashing an extra 1.5 to 2.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere.

The findings strike at the heart of a growing international reliance on carbon credit markets, which allow corporations and governments to offset their emissions by investing in environmental projects—often in the Global South. But according to Power Shift Africa, many of these schemes amount to little more than “greenwashing,” giving major polluters a license to maintain the status quo while masking their inaction.

“We are witnessing a global sleight of hand,” said Power Shift Africa Director Mohamed Adow. “Carbon credits are being used to dodge real emissions cuts. It’s like mopping the floor while the tap is still running.”

The report argues that these offset programs create a false sense of progress, effectively undermining the core intent of the Paris Agreement, which calls for direct and deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, emitters are purchasing credits—often poorly verified—that do little to nothing to counteract the environmental harm they continue to cause.

Power Shift Africa is now calling for a complete overhaul of the carbon credit architecture, including stricter standards, transparent verification mechanisms, and a global shift toward actual decarbonization rather than accounting tricks.

Climate justice advocates point out that the Global South—where many carbon offset projects are implemented—is disproportionately affected by the consequences of climate change. They argue that allowing the North to “buy its way out” of responsibility is both morally indefensible and scientifically reckless.

The report lands at a critical moment, as African nations prepare for COP30 negotiations and weigh their own stakes in a climate market increasingly driven by international finance, not local resilience or sustainability.

As Power Shift Africa warns, the world must now choose between real solutions and convenient illusions—and the clock is ticking.