What if paying for your environmental crimes involved literally paying to repair the planet? Chinese courts are testing this idea by allowing illegal loggers to buy carbon credits as part of their penalties – but experts warn the approach needs careful oversight.
Since 2020, courts have explored letting offenders purchase credits to compensate for destroyed carbon sinks – forests that naturally capture CO2. The policy resurfaced during China's annual Two Sessions political meetings, revealing both ambition and caution in balancing justice with climate action.
Why It Matters: Illegal logging doesn’t just harm ecosystems – it wipes out nature’s best weapon against climate change. One hectare of mature forest absorbs ~6.4 tons of CO2 annually. That’s like erasing the yearly emissions of five gas-guzzling cars.
The Big Question: Can buying credits truly offset ecological damage? Legal scholars argue it’s innovative but stress: \"This shouldn’t become a get-out-of-jail-free card for polluters,\" emphasizing the need for strict guidelines and transparency.
What’s Next: With China aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060, expect more creative climate policies. But as one environmental lawyer put it: \"We need carrots and sticks – protect forests first, innovate penalties second.\"
Chinese courts are testing this idea by allowing illegal loggers to buy carbon credits as part of their penalties – but experts warn the approach needs careful oversight.
Why It Matters: Illegal logging doesn’t just harm ecosystems – it wipes out nature’s best weapon against climate change. One hectare of mature forest absorbs ~6.4 tons of CO2 annually. That’s like erasing the yearly emissions of five gas-guzzling cars 
.
The Big Question: Can buying credits truly offset ecological damage? Legal scholars argue it’s innovative but stress: \"This shouldn’t become a get-out-of-jail-free card for polluters,\" emphasizing the need for strict guidelines and transparency.
What’s Next: With China aiming for carbon neutrality by 2060, expect more creative climate policies. But as one environmental lawyer put it: \"We need carrots and sticks – protect forests first, innovate penalties second.\"
China’s 1998 Logging Ban: How Trees Became Treasure
