The Perfomativity of Economics in Trading CO2-Reducation Certificates

Since 2013, Interpol publicly points to illegal practices in carbon trading and markets. To open up the governability of carbon through markets, this paper employs the Science and Technology Studies perspectives of performativity of economics and the performativity of data practices. Using ethnographic insight into voluntary corporate carbon accounting and into the agency of emission reduction certificates, the governability of emissions through markets is questioned. The paper provides evidence for dubious practices in accounting and, thus, the voluntary carbon market and therewith qualifies the promisses of using market solutions to effectively reduce climate change risks.