Forest Carbon Offsetting in Kenya. Some Reflections After 15 Years of Projects

The paper discusses the topic of forest carbon offset projects, focusing on the case of Kenya. The analysis follows 24 projects developed in the period 2010-2024, implemented in the framework of the Clean Development Mechanism or certified by three leading institutions in the voluntary carbon market (Verra, Gold Standard, Plan Vivo) and combines national-level analysis with insights into specific cases. The theoretical discussion follows four interpretative axes: methodology, production of nature, value distribution, and the role of the state. The analysis shows that methods used in forest carbon offset projects are flawed, and that the power relations between the actors are highly asymmetrical. As a result, the distribution of costs and benefits is often extremely unequal between the companies of the global North, and the local communities in Kenya, thus questioning the link between development and environmental protection that should underpin this kind of projects.