By Abdullahi Lukman
environmental stakeholders are raising alarms over carbon offset projects, labeling them as a dangerous form of modern exploitation that harms local communities and ecosystems.
Concerns were voiced on Tuesday in Benin during a dialogue organized by the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF).
Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director of HOMEF, strongly criticized the carbon trading model, calling it a “false solution” that primarily benefits foreign corporations at the expense of local populations.
He highlighted that while communities have historically managed forests sustainably, government or corporate intervention in the name of carbon protection often leaves these forests vulnerable.
Bassey pointed out that Nigeria has already lost over 90% of its forest cover, with protected areas facing threats from illegal logging and mining.
He cited instances of massive land grabs in Niger, Delta, and Cross River states, some as large as a million hectares, disguised as carbon offset projects.
He gave an example from Mozambique where families reportedly received only $100 for seven years to oversee trees, but were then prohibited from farming or accessing forest resources for 99 years, likening it to “carbon slavery.”
Bassey also raised concerns about the deceptive nature of long-term carbon contracts, where the carbon value is claimed for decades before trees can be felled, leaving communities with nothing.
Rita Nwaka of Environmental Rights Action (ERA) challenged the idea that monoculture plantations are equivalent to natural forests.
She emphasized that forests are vital for food, medicine, livelihoods, and cultural identity, and that communities, not corporations, are their rightful custodians.
Nwaka shared stories of how plantations have negatively impacted traditional practices and livelihoods, citing a traditional midwife who lost her practice due to forest destruction and a widow who received meager compensation for productive farmland.
She also condemned reports of militarization and gender-based violence associated with REDD+ and carbon trading projects, including harassment and shootings of women protesting against a palm oil firm in Edo.
Nwaka declared a strong rejection of REDD+, carbon credits, and “false solutions” that prioritize profit over people.
Orheke Prince, a panelist, traced the origin of the carbon market to the Kyoto Protocol, criticizing its framework for excluding the voices of directly impacted communities.
He stressed that solutions not co-developed with communities are essentially imposed upon them.
The dialogue, titled “The Truth Behind the Carbon Offset Market,” brought together activists, forest dwellers, and scholars from across the Niger Delta to discuss these pressing issues.