Deal #10473 Version #94473

The Blue Carbon deal in Kenya has the potential to exacerbate existing land conflicts, particularly involving indigenous communities like the Ogiek. The large-scale allocation of land for carbon credit projects may clash with the traditional land use and rights of local populations (see: https://reddmonitor.substack.com/p/indigenous-ogiek-communities-are) (#iO3E6ugc).

The Kenyan government is evicting the Indigenous Ogiek community from the Mau Forest under the pretext of environmental protection. Despite a 2017 ruling by the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights affirming their right to live there, the Ogiek are facing forced removals, home demolitions, and significant disruptions to their lives. The evictions have been linked to government interests in carbon credits, but it is unclear if they are directly connected to Blue Carbon's planned activities. Blue Carbon, when approached by the BBC, stated they have no ongoing projects in Kenya and emphasized that any process displacing indigenous communities would be ineligible under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Kenya's Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry claims the evictions aim to reclaim the Mau Forest from illegal encroachments and logging. The African Court had previously ordered the government to consult the Ogiek on any land projects and to compensate them for past forced evictions. However, OPDP (Ogiek Peoples Development Programme) director Mr. Kobei reported that the evictions occurred without warning, affecting around 700 people, including many women and children (as of November 2023). (see: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67352067) (#3e9E2xHY).