Postdoctoral Researcher Thelma Arko Challenges the Impact of Carbon Markets in Africa

Dr. Thelma Arko, a postdoctoral researcher affiliated with Utrecht University, has contributed a critical article to the Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE). Her thought-provoking blog explores how the rapid expansion of global carbon offset markets reinforces land dispossession and inequities in Africa, calling for urgent reforms centered on justice and equity.

While carbon markets are often presented as a solution to the climate crisis, Dr. Arko argues that these market-based mechanisms echo colonial-era land grabs. The commodification of carbon credits enables corporations and wealthy nations to outsource emissions reductions while displacing local communities, particularly Indigenous groups. Dr. Arko highlights the social and environmental consequences of these practices, such as the expropriation of communal lands and the undermining of traditional livelihoods.

The article delves into case studies of carbon offset projects, including Uganda’s Kikonda Forest Restoration Project, which faced allegations of violating local land rights. By prioritizing the economic interests of Global North corporations, Dr. Arko emphasizes, these schemes marginalize African communities and intensify historical power imbalances.

Her critique extends to the broader implications of neoliberal environmental agendas, emphasizing the need to move beyond market-based solutions. Dr. Arko advocates for approaches that protect customary land rights, ensure free and informed consent, and place local communities at the heart of decision-making processes.

This contribution aligns with inFRONT’s mission to investigate the sociopolitical impacts of sustainability transitions and to promote policies that uphold justice in the Global South.

Read the full article on here on ROAPE’s website