Indigenous Cambodians living in a protected forest say a carbon credit scheme has led to the destruction of their crops and huts, as a two-year Human Rights Watch investigation released Thursday documented forced evictions and criminal charges.
The scheme, recognised in a 2017 agreement between the environment ministry and conservation group Wildlife Alliance (WA), sees companies buy credits to offset their greenhouse gas emissions, with the revenue going towards preserving one of the world’s most biodiverse rainforests.
Chong Indigenous villagers in the southwestern Cardamom Mountains said that while they support preservation, the project has restricted their ability to farm, forage and collect firewood.
