1.2 How are Communities Experiencing Carbon Projects?
Often, in the global or national debates about carbon projects, the direct experience of communities is missing. This course, and all of the Grassroots Justice Network’s work on carbon projects, is rooted in understanding how communities are experiencing the projects.
Communities experience carbon projects positively and negatively. Some of these projects offer economic benefits, improved livelihoods for the community members, and environmental gains. However, some of these projects are implemented without community participation. Some of the communities face land grabbing, evictions, and some cannot use their land freely. Revenue-sharing is also a major issue, as the community members wonder how much money is coming from the project and what a fair distribution would be.
We invite you to watch these two videos sharing experiences of communities responding to carbon projects. While you watch these videos, take note to spot the justice issues you see and note them in the discussion board after
Strengthening Land Rights: The Fight For Justice in Sierra Leone by DW
This video follows Namati’s paralegals in Sierra Leone as they support a community being approached by a new carbon developer.
Carbon-Based Evictions? by DW
This video highlights how the eviction of the Indigenous Ogiek people is connected with a carbon project in Kenya’s Mau Forest.
Discussion board
What justice issues did you spot in these case studies? Were there similarities or differences across the examples? Please share your comment below