It adds, “The study underscores the urgent need for governmental accountability and the development of international and national frameworks to regulate voluntary carbon markets to ensure they do not undermine indigenous rights.”
According to the MISA study, most of the Maasai people interviewed for the report lack adequate knowledge of carbon markets, contract terms, and are not able to anticipate all the long-term consequences of these agreements.
Those interviewed in the study further express their fear that the contracts will make them lose control over their traditional grazing lands.
“Carbon contracts will prevent them from sharing areas that are strategic for survival in times of droughts and also interfere with their centuries-old sustainable land management techniques, which are vital to their survival,” CIDSE says.
The organization notes that Maasai’s traditional grazing routes are based on seasonal water availability and the migration patterns of their livestock. These practices, CIDSE says, are not only central to the Maasai cultural identity but also contribute positively to the conservation and resilience of dry lands.
The organization expresses concern that under the new carbon offset projects, Maasai land use is being subordinated to carbon sequestration, with agreements anticipated to last for a total of 40 years.
In the statement shared with ACI Africa, the Director of KOO, Anja Appel, says that “the decision by large companies to meet their net zero commitments or reduce their carbon emissions is producing some very questionable results.”
She adds, “As Catholic organisations, we are committed to climate justice, which means responding to ecological challenges with just and socially balanced answers.”
“For us, it is therefore imperative that climate policy is based on human rights. Especially when it comes to corporate responsibility and climate action, policymakers must now stand firm. Any backtracking would be disastrous for climate protection,” Ms. Appel further says.
The two carbon offset projects examined in the study are in direct competition as they target the same area of Maasai land.
