Tanzania hunter-gatherers win Equator Prize for carbon-offset project

The project relies on the communities putting in place governance structures and practical activities to protect their traditional forest lands in order to generate carbon credits, which are sold to companies and individuals who wish to offset their carbon impacts.

The Hadza project is one of the several programs that Carbon Tanzania is operating. All the projects focus on supporting communities to obtain land rights or resource rights to enable them to earn revenues from ecosystem services or environmental protection.

"This is a nature-based solution that's helping mitigate the effects of climate change while also preserving people's traditional way of life in a modern world," said Marc Baker, the CEO and co-founder of Carbon Tanzania.

Baker said the program supports sustainable socio-economic development and proves the power of cooperation between organizations and local communities, from international financial experts, African local governments, conservation organizations, to local communities.

The Equator Prize is awarded to indigenous groups by the UNDP Equator Initiative for innovative work in developing solutions to climate change and promoting sustainable development.