Blue Carbon Projects in Sundarbans Risk Marginalizing Local Communities Over Climate Gains
Original framing: “Before Blue Carbon: Rethinking Carbon Dreams and Closed Forests in the Sundarbans” — bing news
Local fisherfolk and forest-dependent communities in the Sundarbans are often excluded from decision-making processes around blue carbon projects. Their voices are critical for designing conservation strategies that are both ecologically sound and socially just.
The blue carbon narrative in the Sundarbans reflects a broader tension between global climate markets and local ecological governance.
By reducing mangroves to carbon assets, these projects risk repeating colonial conservation patterns that exclude Indigenous and local communities. A more just and effective approach would integrate traditional knowledge, support community-led conservation, and prioritize ecological and social equity over market-driven metrics. Historical precedents from other regions show that co-management and cultural stewardship can yield more resilient outcomes. Moving forward, it is essential to reframe conservation as a rights-based, culturally grounded process that aligns with both planetary and human well-being.