A groundbreaking environmental deal in Sierra Leone will empower local communities and provide fair compensation while protecting vital ecosystems, per Mongabay.
The deal involves more than 220 communities in the Bonthe district's Sittia chiefdom. It will protect around 200,000 acres of mangroves in the Sherbro River Estuary and ensure communities receive 40-50% of gross revenue from carbon credit sales, with environmental justice nonprofit Namati Sierra Leone helping to ensure the agreement puts decision-making authority in local hands.
This revenue-sharing approach addresses a common problem in which developers reinvest earnings for years, making it nearly impossible for communities to determine when actual profits are generated. Gross revenue sharing will provide better transparency from the start.
The pact also includes transparent financial disclosure, giving communities full information about buyers and sales throughout the project. Local residents will also direct how the mangroves are protected and managed through community-led stewardship.
"[The agreement] is a step in the right direction for the voluntary carbon market to address the many deep-rooted issues of fairness and even human rights violations," Isa Mulder from Carbon Market Watch told Mongabay.
The carbon credits will only go to buyers working to actively reduce their own emissions, preventing companies from using offsets as an excuse to maintain their pollution levels. Independent auditors will verify the emission reductions from conservation work and forest restoration before any credits are issued.
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The mangroves are facing growing threats from demand for cooking fuel, fish smoking, farming, and new construction, per Mongabay. Local residents will be able to lead conservation efforts and gain access to alternatives that reduce pressure on mangrove wood.
The African Conservation Initiative, meanwhile, will provide efficient cookstoves, improved fish-smoking ovens, timber plantations, and financial resources to support local, sustainable livelihoods.
"With Namati's guidance, our communities gained confidence in partnering with ACI, ensuring youth participation," youth leader Sandy Rogers said in a statement, per Mongabay. "We anticipate employment and development for our communities."
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