By Isack Bryson, Project Manager, Carbon Tanzania

Perhaps it is human nature to disregard our innate talents, for the knowledge we possess is often so clear to us that it is almost inconceivable that others do not understand it also. This is a phenomenon I witness regularly as a Project Manager at developer Carbon Tanzania.

I work with Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) implementing a ground-breaking carbon finance project in Tanzania’s Yaeda Valley. I find that, while the communities I work and live with certainly have the most experience in conserving their native lands, people are often unaware of just how critical their land management practices are in the context of climate change. This, of course, isn’t true for all, but it is a pattern I have noticed and to which I can see solutions. But first, let’s take a step back to consider the bigger picture of indigenous-led conservation to provide a context to my specific recommendations to follow.

Indigenous people are on the frontlines of climate change and conservation efforts

There is no possible route to securing a 1.5C future if we don’t protect, restore and manage the world’s forests. Acting as a global carbon sink, forests absorb approximately one quarter of all CO2 emitted annually. However, over the last 50 years, the world has seen a sustained and dramatic loss of nature. Not only has 17% of the vast Amazon been destroyed, but wildlife has reportedly declined by 69% globally.

It is deeply unjust that Indigenous people – who have barely contributed to rising emissions – are disproportionately at risk from the consequences of nature loss and climate change. For one, Indigenous people tend to live outside of cities, close to the natural world and in sync with its seasonal rhythms. Any disruptions to rainfall patterns and temperatures will directly impact daily livelihoods. Moreover, cultural traditions, stemming from nature, form a central part of life. Climate change places such practices in jeopardy, threatening the Indigenous way of life, both physically and spiritually.

While IPLCs may have the most to lose, these groups are also uniquely placed to share solutions. For one, they know the true, sacred value of nature and protect it, not from an ecosystem service-perspective, but from a place of honour and respect. Secondly, a little over 20% of all land on earth is under the stewardship of Indigenous people. Containing at least 80% of global biodiversity, Indigenous lands are central to natural conservation of and climate mitigation. However, without recognised land rights, many IPLCs find themselves in precarious positions, unable to fully protect their ancestral homes. Going forward, nature-based carbon projects have a key role to play in securing these rights.

Indigenous knowledge is key for conservation; there’s no denying that. But we need to embed Indigenous leadership into projects in a way that is not fundamentally disempowering and for this, there must be lasting, genuine interactions between project developers and people on the ground.

On the ground: We need more communication

IPLCs have been conserving forests long before carbon project developers arrived on the scene. It is therefore unsurprising that many Indigenous groups have expressed frustration that, despite their clear expertise, developers have not seemed open to engagement. Indeed, the World Economic Forum stated in a recent report:

“Too often, consultations are experienced by Indigenous peoples as a check-box exercise rather than an attempt to build genuine relationships.”

It is important for developers to remember that they are new, they will not have all the answers, nor will they have a full understanding of the needs of local communities and Indigenous groups. The Tropical Forest Credit Integrity Guide (put together by leading NGOs and Indigenous groups) states that projects should always respect the rights and traditions of IPLCs, seek their input and equitably share benefits. So, with this in mind, I would like to build a case for on-the-ground communication between developers and communities with four practical recommendations.

1. Engage with local communities to explain the value of their conservation work in terms of global climate mitigation. It is often a case that conservation knowledge is so intrinsic to Indigenous culture that people don’t connect their way of life to the bigger picture of climate change. I recommend that project developers take time and effort to talk to IPLCs about the climate crisis, understand their perspectives and explain the importance of their stewardship globally.
2. Meet with IPLCs to explain what carbon finance is and how these projects work. Carbon projects are relatively new territory for many communities, so the fundamental workings of carbon credits – how they are generated, sold and retired – need to be articulated. In the absence of communication, how can IPLCs truly consent to a project? And how can they determine whether a carbon revenue sharing proposal is fair, just and of an appropriate value? Project developers should engage face-to-face with community members to allow for questions and create an environment of transparency in which people are informed of current levels of community benefit sharing in the market.
3. Communicate the benefits that the carbon projects can bring locally and explain how a community can be involved. Recognising the strength of Indigenous and local knowledge is essential for any good carbon project. However, it is equally important that this knowledge is not sought in a manner which is extractive. Project developers should offer appropriate compensation to local communities for their input as well as setting up profit sharing models so that the income generated through the sale of carbon credits can be used locally. Indeed, in Yaeda Valley, our project operates with a unique benefit sharing scheme which is designed in line with the cultural values of the Hadza communities we work with. We learned the importance of taking the time to explain the benefits of carbon revenue as many people were unaware of its potential to fund medical expenses, classroom equipment and even higher education or employment opportunities.
4. Set a precedent for community meetings for decision making On-the-ground engagement doesn’t end once a profit-sharing agreement has been reached. It is important that spending decisions are not made by one or two spokespeople, rather that the wider community is involved. This is why our benefit sharing scheme in Yaeda Valley is decentralised. Without a centralised structure, our community meetings provide a space for information sharing, raising concerns or discussing how best to allocate the revenue earned from carbon credit sales. With ongoing opportunities for connection, projects will operate with greater transparency and a more embedded model of knowledge sharing.

Going forward, it is clear we must invest in forest conservation to keep the possibility of a 1.5°C world alive. But if we fail to engage with the Indigenous people on whose lands these forests often grow, we would be falling at the first hurdle. Only if there is sustained, on-the-ground engagement between developers and Indigenous communities, can climate mitigation projects be truly considered successful.

Isack Bryson was born and raised in the Yaeda Valley in northern Tanzania – the ancestral homeland of the Hadza. Upon completion of this biology degree, he returned to his homeland to work as the project manager at the Yaeda Valley REDD project. In 2021 the project expanded to become the Yaeda–Eyasi landscape project incorporating nine Datooga pastoralist communities into the original project. He works with the Hadza and Datooga communities in addition to numerous indigenous groups in the region and with the village and ward governments of the valley to bring everyone together in order to achieve their shared goal of protecting their threatened forest. He works to ensure that the forest protection project activities run smoothly and that the village game scouts and field teams have what they need to protect their forests. Bryson also arranges all the community meetings, workshops and events where information is shared, issues are addressed and plans are developed. 

Any opinions published in this commentary reflect the views of the author and not of Carbon Pulse.