REDD+ impact on well-being in communities with collective land titling

Abstract

The Afro-Colombians communities of Los Riscales have a collective land title in the Nuquí municipality, on the Pacific Coast of the Choco Colombian department, one of the regions with lowest levels of well-being and a weak State presence. These communities face challenges implementing their first REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) project. Concerns arise about potential conflicts and the administrational capacity of the communities to manage a project that will generate their first monetary boom. Indeed, critiques arised around the ability of the REDD+ mechanism to reach its goals of reducing deforestation rates while increasing community well-being. Besides, ethical concerns are raised about the implications of REDD+ as a neoliberal tool aimed at tackling climate change by transferring the responsibility of the climate crisis to actors outside the State, such as rural communities and other intermediary actors. This shift in responsibility puts the community well-being outcomes in the hands of their supporting organizations, who can take advantage of the communities, also referred to as ‘carbon cowboys’. Taking a pluriverse perspective on the REDD+ application in rural communities with a collective land title, risks are identified due to a clash between different cosmologies that create unequal power dynamics. Considering the relevance of this issue, this research investigated ‘How does the REDD+ project in the Nuquí municipality impact the well-being of the Los Riscales communities?’. A qualitative study was conducted, which included two field trips in Nuquí of a total of six weeks and semi-structured interviews (32 with local residents and two with experts in international cooperation), analysed in NVivo with deductive and inductive codes. The field trips were possible thanks to the internship with Tropenbos Colombia, one of the supporting organisations of the communities. The results show that, in order to ensure a positive impact on well-being, the main challenges that communities face are communication issues and lacks in financial skills and their administrative body. The possibilities of a positive impact on well-being are increased by community’s strengths, even though they heavily rely on external organizations. Some villages have traditions of community organization, most leaders are participative and pro-active in community processes, leaders have good conflict mediation skills. In addition, communities are benefitting from an ongoing process of conservation awareness and environmental education, funded by environmental organizations.