John Kilbride on LinkedIn: Determining who owns what is a huge challenge, especially when many… (2024)

When I see stories about fraudulent forest carbon project projects, I look at them with a bit of nuance that reporters not in the global south may miss. First, outright fraud exists in the VCM, as does over-crediting through baseline manipulation, double-counting, etc. I am not a denialist. Having said that, in many countries in the Global South, the land registry is one of the most corrupt government institutions. Here in Ecuador, we recently had a case where a congressman was accused of manipulating processes within the agricultural ministry to dispossess poor people of lands he wanted. He had the rightful owners thrown in jail. He was caught; usually, land invaders get away with it. Land invaders sometimes take over a property and clear all its trees before the rightful owner can get an injunction. Often, the judges will be on the invader's payroll. Sometimes, landowners haven't secured the mineral rights for their properties, so they'll wake up one day to find a mining operation tearing their land apart.If you own rural lands, people can appear with paperwork that states they're the rightful owners. Sometimes, this is part of the land registry manipulation, and sometimes, it results from poor recordkeeping. Public lands are not exempt from controversy.This happens often: people of limited means will be sold fake deeds to public lands. They'll move into a public park and start clearing. This can lead to conflict when the security forces arrive, often after the damage is done. Then, public parks may be located on lands not appropriately expropriated or transferred, leading to never-ending legal battles. Even worse, public and tribal lands in the North Western Amazon are invaded all the time by armed groups financed by drug traffickers for illegal mining and timber operations, both of which are activities that help powerful drug traffickers launder their money. All of these issues affect forest carbon development projects in the entire Amazon. In addition, there are tricky issues related to additionality: for example, in the Brazilian Amazon, landholders are only allowed to clear up to 20% of their property; the rest is supposed to be a legal reserve. Nonetheless, these laws have yet to be widely enforced. Is a project additional if it restores lands that the law states should never have been cleared in the first place? Some would say no; a well-calibrated dynamic baseline would say yes. Finally, nowhere in Latin America is land registry corruption more rife than in the Brazilian state of Pará. Land invaders appropriate public lands and often do so thanks to their accumulated political power, which gives them nefarious sway over enforcement bodies and the legal system. Working to protect the Amazon is tricky but necessary. It behooves PDs and journalists to come to terms with the complexity.

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This is a excellent summary of the myriad complexities facing project development and the forestry sector in most developing countries in the world. In countries with weak rule of law, poor enforcement capacity, corruption, drug and arms trafficking, or even good rule of law but no clear rules on assignment of ownership over carbon rights, we’re going to continue to face these types of challenges. It’s why we have an enforced law provision in the The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) additionality testing requirements.Want to build a hotel on that beach in a protected mangrove forest? No problem, just pay off your local government official and voila, the forest will be cleared by the end of the month. Want to mine gold from that pristine river? Easy, just clear all of the surrounding forest. Need a new place to live and don't want to pay for it? No problem, just cut down forests to plant crops on public “protected” lands. I’ve heard of all of these things happening when due diligencing projects to buy from. Ironically enough carbon projects are often the enabling resource for underfunded and under-resourced governments to enforce laws.That is not to say that there are not legitimate concerns with how projects are being conducted on the ground. I've seen my share of projects I would NEVER have bought from. That's why we need to work together to block out the bad actors and improve market oversight and regulation across the board. In the meantime, does this mean we stop doing the work until all of these challenges are sorted? Only if we never want to actually do anything to make it better. Real life is hard and complex. The context matters. The sooner we accept these facts, the sooner we can build a system that helps address and respond to that complexity in order to advance our urgent work of protecting, conserving and restoring the world’s ecosystems.

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𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝘽𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙩'𝙨 𝙋𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙥 𝙎𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 $150 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙒𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙚𝙨Warren Buffett's PacifiCorp has reached a settlement of $150 million over wildfire damages, demonstrating a significant resolution in ongoing environmental liability issues faced by major utility firms. This settlement marks an important step in addressing the financial implications and responsibilities of power companies in the wake of natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. The resolution could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future, reflecting the increasing financial stakes for utility companies in an era of more frequent and severe wildfires.https://lnkd.in/gaA54Wev

Berisha: Six facts that show Rama is the main responsible for the incinerators scandal, the theft of the centuryBy Sali BerishaSix facts that show Edi Rama is the main legal responsible for the theft of the centuryEdi Rama is the main person responsible before the law for the theft of the century and this is irrefutably proven by the following facts:1. In blatant violation of the law, he just came to power to pave the way for the theft affair of the century, he himself signed the declaration of the national environmental emergency and rejected the strategy created together with the EU. He replaced that strategy with that of waste incineration.2. Edi Rama with his signature has approved, contrary to the law, the inclusion of the Elbasan incinerator in the medium-term budget.3. Edi Rama is directly responsible for the government's decision of December 16, 2016, which decided to finance the illegal contract, signed with closed negotiations, prohibited by law. In his absence, he authorized Niko Peleshi to sign the decision. But the signing of this decision in a record time of 12 hours is the signing of 12 acts with 17 signatures under the direct supervision of Edi Rama, so Arben Ahmetaj says 'I am not the king'.4. Edi Rama is directly and primarily responsible for the theft of the century because he signed on December 7, 2017, giving the bonus of 8 points to the company 'Integrate Energy BV SHPK', a company that did not exist and that he was informed by his minister that the company in question did not exist.5. The thermal power plant built 100% with the money of the state budget in the incinerator of Elbasan has been donated for 25 years to their private enterprise "AlbTek" from which the taxpayers receive only the concessional thread of 2% rule that applies only in the case of concessions that are built entirely by the private sector.6. Edi Rama is directly responsible for the theft of the century because in open opposition to Article 2 of Law 9000, on the functioning of the Council of Ministers, despite the hundreds and hundreds of denunciations of the corrupt affair of the century in the media and parliament, he did not intervene, on the contrary, he has become the advocate of the theft of the century because he is the main entrepreneur of the chilies.So, all this makes the true investigation of the theft of the century hopeless for the Albanian citizens and without any hope of finding and returning the 200 million Euros, at least until now. But they continue to flow into the account because the seizure means that the accounts again belong to Zoto and Mërtiri

https://lnkd.in/gKhsATRwESIPAC.online #ESIPAC, trimming vegetation is a compulsory part of transmission system maintenance, per North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) and #NESC standards. Also recommending high dryness areas to include #ionization #photoelectric remote #SCADA sensors for VESDA fire detection at every equipment base where energized conductors are within say, 25 feet of vegetation. #learn #deepthinking #riskassessments Utility giant Southern California Edison has agreed to pay $80 million to settle the US Forest Service’s claims relating to the2017 Thomas Fire, which at the time was the largest wildfire in California’s modern history, federal prosecutorssaidMonday.The federal government had sued the company in 2020 on the forest service’s behalf, alleging the utility’s power lines ignited the blaze, which according to state fire officialsburned more than 280,000 acresacross Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, killed two people and destroyed more than 1,000 structures.The lawsuit sought to recover the forest service’s costs in fighting the fire and for damages it caused to Los Padres National Forest, the US attorney’s office for California’s central districtsaid. In the settlement, which was finalized Friday, the utility has agreed to pay the $80 million without admitting wrongdoing or fault, prosecutors said.Of the more than 280,000 acres burned, more than 150,000 acres were National Forest System land, federal prosecutorssaid.The settlement “provides significant compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Thomas Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands,” First Assistant US Attorney Joseph McNally said in a release.The utility said in 2018 that its equipmentmight havesparked the Thomas Fire.Utilities have been involved in other multimillion-dollar settlements and penalty payments related to destructive wildfires in recent years. In 2019, Southern California Edison agreed to pay $360 million to settle claims with cities and counties impacted by three wildfires,including $210 million for costs associated with the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which state fire officials said burned more than 96,000 acres across Ventura and Los Angeles counties, destroyed more than 1,600 structures and killed three people.The Pacific Gas and Electric utility will pay $45 million in penalties for its role in the2021 Dixie Fire– currently the second-largest wildfire in California’s history – which started after a tree fell and hit the company’s equipment in 2021, state regulatorssaid in January.PG&E also was fined $125 millionfor its role in the 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County as part of a settlement with the California Public Utilities Commission.

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What is the average going price per acre of wetland impact in Florida?An average UMAM mitigation credit value is approx $125,000.00; therefore, for a average quality wetland with a 0.6 UMAM (0-1)- it costs approx. $75,000.00/acre of impact.However, pricing ranges from $75,000.00-$500,000.00/UMAM Credit throughout the state of Florida. Therefore,pricing per acre of impact can range from $22,500.00-$400,000.00/acre of impact depending on location and quality of the wetland impacted. https://lnkd.in/ee33hNPj

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In New Jersey, a tidelands search is crucial because it helps determine if a property includes or is adjacent to land that is or was previously flowed by tidal waters. Here's why this is important:**Ownership and Rights**: Tidelands, also known as riparian lands, are owned by New Jersey. If your property includes tidelands, you might need to obtain a license, lease, or grant from the state to use or develop the property.**Title Issues**: A tidelands claim can impact a property's clear title. Ensuring that there are no outstanding state claims is essential for clear ownership and to avoid future disputes.**Development Restrictions**: Properties that include tidelands may be subject to specific regulations and restrictions that can affect how the land can be developed or used.**Environmental Concerns**: Tidelands are often environmentally sensitive areas. Identifying these areas can be important for complying with environmental regulations and protecting coastal and wetland ecosystems.**Value and Marketability**: Understanding tidelands claims can impact a property's value and marketability. Potential buyers and lenders need clear knowledge of any state claims.Overall, conducting a tidelands search ensures that you are aware of any state claims or restrictions on the property, helping to avoid legal and financial complications.#greateratlanticlegal #greateratlantic #tidelands #title #realestate

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The increasing frequency of catastrophic wildfires emphasizes the urgent need for utility companies to invest in modernizing their aging infrastructure and updating operational guidelines. The historical approach of minimizing investment in infrastructure has had severe repercussions, including loss of lives, property destruction, and massive financial liabilities.

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An older post, but is still an important topic for buyers and sellers. In Victoria, we have a high number of properties that buried their oil tanks, posing risk of oil leaks and environmental damage. These risks can be costly. I highly recommend reading this article

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Fantastic job Susan Doering on drafting an insightful article (in Construction Executive) that highlights the exposures brought on by wildfire risk tied to construction projects (aligned with recent California & Maui scenarios). "If, not only the construction sector, but also society, aligns and focuses on collective mitigation, these climate exposures might begin to slow down," commented Doering Michael Chang Ionel Rizea James O'Connor Louise Weiss Pennington Jonathon Rex Drummond Christian Ryan Bill Creedon Arnelle Sullivan Sarah Booker Miles Russell Ryan Hucker WTW WTW Construction Risk #wtw #wtwconstructionrisk #climatechange #wildfires

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