Why Climate Action Must Include Local Voices

In April, residents of Oldonyonyokie Ranch in Kajiado County staged a protest against the establishment of a carbon credit project on their 68000ha land by a foreign firm, putting a stop to the signing of the 40-year deal. Even as Kenya attracts investments in the carbon market, the question remains: can we implement climate action without the people?

A study by Radboud University Nijmegen highlights that when formulating climate policy, too little attention is paid to social factors and too much to technological breakthroughs and economic reasons.

“Without public trust, effective climate policy is impossible,” warns Vincent de Gooyert, sociologist and lead author of the study.

According to the researchers, policy only works if there is mutual trust.

“People often think that if we explain it well, support will come naturally,” says de Gooyert. He further adds that research has proved that in most instances, there is mainly a one-way communication, which can be counterproductive.

In Kenya, Carbon Capture and Storage technology is growing, with companies like Octavia pioneering the field. This technology is essential for achieving climate targets, but it is still barely off the ground.

According to experts, Industry wants government subsidies, the government says there is no public support for this, and society wants to see industry take responsibility first, creating a vicious circle.

De Gooyert explains that the climate debate is currently often framed from a techno-economic perspective, and every solution must have direct market value.

“But a solution such as CCS has no direct market value. In addition to technology, regulations, and subsidies, you need that support, because a policy without support mainly results in resistance,” he says.

The African Question

In Africa, most climate action projects are characterized by community exclusion. In Nigeria, smart agriculture programs like the LIFE-ND Project employs an incubator model targeting local commodities. Despite its community-level focus, the extent of genuine participation and long-term sustainability remains under scrutiny.

In Kenya, the Northern Kenya Rangelands Carbon Project (NKRCP), backed by companies like Meta and Netflix, the NKRCP has faced criticism for weak local consent and questionable methodologies. A Kenyan court found that two of its conservancies were established unlawfully, highlighting issues of community exclusion.

Notably, across the continent, the marginalization of local communities in climate initiatives is common, as many projects proceed without meaningful community engagement. The skepticism usually arises from feelings of alienation as the promised advantages of these projects, such as economic upliftment or environmental improvements, often fail to materialize for the local community.

Community-driven projects have proven successful in most instances because locals are co-creators, not bystanders. For example, in the Community-led Mangrove Restoration and Conservation in Gazi Bay, known as the Mikoko Pamoja project in Kwale County, Kenya, mangroves covering 117 ha of land in Gazi Bay are now protected from illegal deforestation by full-time guards.

“The Mikoko Pamoja project’s success likely stems from several key aspects. First and foremost, the local community has actively supported and participated in the project,” says Ariana E. Sutton-Grier, Visiting Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland.

Experts highlight that a lack of community consultations, especially in marginalized areas, is a major policy gap. This is mostly driven by overreliance on foreign donors and technologies with minimal local contextualization.

Riptoya Elema, founder of Move Northern Kenya, says, “The absence of structures like citizens’ climate assemblies, local climate councils, or scientific advisory bodies that are independent and trusted, is a major limitation to climate adaptation.”

Where the Solution Lies

De Gooyert and his colleagues advocate the use of independent, scientific advisory councils, but also initiatives such as citizens’ councils.

“Citizens must be able to form an informed opinion independently, and there must be room for complexity and nuance,” he says.

He further highlights that to successfully execute climate action, there are difficult choices to be made, but people must be given openness about the options and the consequences.

“Citizens deserve a say in their environment,” he says.

According to Miss Elema, African communities have rich traditional ecological knowledge indigenous weather prediction, seasonal calendars, and farming practices that must be integrated into formal climate governance.

“We won’t get there with the current method. Then we’ll remain in the situation we’re in now: no one is willing to take big steps on climate policy, while time is running out,” warns De Gooyert.