Barotse Wealth Commons: Reclaiming Carbon Wealth through Indigenous Governance

In Barotseland, forests and wetlands are the heart of community life and a major carbon sink for Zambia. Yet, while these landscapes absorb millions of tonnes of carbon each year, the people protecting them remain among the poorest. Over the past decade, several foreign-owned carbon trading companies have entered the region, convincing traditional leaders to sign agreements they barely understand. They promise development but deliver very little.

Most of the revenue from carbon credits ends up in Lusaka or abroad, spent on high salaries, office rent, and luxury vehicles. Meanwhile, local people—the true custodians of the forests—receive almost nothing beyond a few boreholes or token projects. The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE), which governs the area through traditional leadership, lacks the technical knowledge and institutional systems to manage carbon projects directly.

As a result, Barotseland experiences a growing divide: the environment generates wealth, but the communities safeguarding it remain excluded from the carbon economy. This has created frustration, weakened trust in conservation efforts, and left many questioning whether carbon trading really benefits Indigenous people.

Our project seeks to change this by restoring control, ownership, and accountability to the BRE—ensuring carbon wealth benefits the people of Barotseland, not outsiders.

Our solution is to return carbon wealth and decision-making power to the people of Barotseland through a locally owned and governed carbon management system. The Barotse Wealth Commons project will empower the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) to directly lead and manage all carbon trading activities, with Lusnorth Youth Cooperative Society providing the technical guidance needed to make this possible.

We will begin by developing the Barotse Carbon Charter, a legal and governance framework that clearly defines community ownership, benefit-sharing, and environmental responsibilities. This will ensure that the rules guiding carbon finance are built from within the traditional system, not imposed from outside.

Next, we will establish a BRE Sustainability Team—a multidisciplinary group of young professionals in conservation, finance, and law—embedded within the existing structures of the BRE. This team will coordinate carbon monitoring, revenue management, and reporting while ensuring that all activities are transparent and community-led.

A digital carbon registry will also be developed to track credit generation, payments, and how funds are spent in real time, giving communities a clear picture of where the money goes. Regular kutla (village assemblies) and sensitization meetings will be held to educate Indunas, women, and youth about carbon trading, ensuring that every decision reflects community consent.

By the end of the 12-month sprint, the BRE will have a tested and functioning system that integrates traditional governance with modern carbon finance—proving that Indigenous institutions can manage carbon wealth effectively, fairly, and sustainably.

Although the Barotse Wealth Commons project is still in its early stage, the expected outcomes are clear and measurable. Each outcome is tied to restoring community ownership and building a fair, transparent carbon economy in Barotseland:

1. 1. Local Ownership of Carbon Governance:
   The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) now leads and manages carbon projects directly through its own Sustainability Unit, replacing foreign-led intermediaries.

3. 2. Barotse Carbon Charter Adopted:
   A community-drafted charter defines carbon ownership, benefit-sharing rules, and environmental responsibilities under customary law, ensuring long-term accountability.

5. 3. Trained Sustainability Team Established:
   A dedicated team of local youth professionals, trained in carbon accounting, finance, and conservation, now operates under the BRE to manage daily implementation.

7. 4. Transparent Digital Carbon Registry Created:
   A user-friendly registry tracks carbon credits, revenues, and expenditures in real time, giving communities clear access to financial information.

9. 5. Community Awareness and Engagement Increased:
   Through kutla (village assemblies) and training sessions, hundreds of Indunas, women, and youth gained practical understanding of carbon trading and their rights.

11. 6. Revenue Flowing to Local Development:
    Early carbon payments are being reinvested in schools, clean water access, and sustainable farming, demonstrating how climate wealth can directly improve lives.