Kenyan herders fight companies offsetting emissions on their land
Kenyan herders are protesting against the Northern Rangelands Trust for allegedly seizing ancestral lands for carbon credit projects used by major corporations. The pastoralists claim the organization lacks consent, restricts their traditional grazing rights, and utilizes intimidation tactics to manage the nature reserve.
Kenyan pastoralists are challenging the Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) over carbon credit projects located in the Biliqo Bulesa nature reserve in the Merti region. Major corporations, including Netflix, Meta, British Airways, and Beiersdorf, have purchased these credits to offset their carbon emissions. The initiative involves modifying traditional grazing routes to increase carbon sequestration in the soil, which has fundamentally changed how local communities manage their land.
Local herders claim that the NRT transformed ancestral lands into conservation areas without their consent and has profited millions from the arrangement. The pastoralists argue that the project restricts their livelihoods and that the organization uses armed guards to intimidate and bully the local population. These allegations follow a recent ruling by a Kenyan judge in a similar case, which found that several conservation areas were established without a proper legal basis. The claimants are now seeking transparency regarding the financial proceeds generated from their land.
Based on reporting by nu. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.
