The money is in their pockets... we're still in need of the basics

IZAURINO Alves had never heard of carbon credits when the strangers arrived at his remote Amazonian home a few years ago.

- TOM PETTIFOR

The grandad, 59, was also unaware they were part of an alleged multi-million pound scheme using land where he lives that links to Kenneth Noye.

Izaurino is a member of the ribeirinho, the "river people" who make their living by fishing, farming and harvesting forest products.

His wooden home is a long way from Noye's flat in Kent which shares same address as the headquarters of the Amazon Forest People carbon credit scheme. A 2020 AFP brochure says it is protecting the area where Izaurino lives from deforestation and fighting for "social, economic and environmental justice".

Alongside pictures of smiling children, it says they "own and protect" 368,000 acres of forest, an area almost as large as Greater London, and have been working with the 6200 ribeirinho since 2008 in an area that is being logged "rapidly and illegally".