Climate Commons Fund - Laikipia, Kenya
The Climate Commons Fund project aims to reward and catalyse existing conservation practices in Il Ngwesi Conservancy in Laikipia County, Kenya, accelerating livelihood diversification through the removal of financial barriers and creating equitable incentives for climate action through the establishment of a community-owned fund.
In doing so, it offers a replicable, sustainable model for funding Cash for Conservation and getting climate finance directly to people and communities – addressing the integrity and distributional challenges of conditional and market-based initiatives, and the long-term financial viability of unconditional cash transfers.
An innovative solution to finance Cash for Conservation
How it works
This pilot project will focus on Il Ngwesi Community Conservancy, a community-managed rangeland in Laikipia. It will have two distinct, interrelated components:
1. All adult members of Il Ngwesi will receive a lump sum cash transfer. The payment will be designed to support existing community conservation goals, aid climate adaptation and catalyse livelihood diversification. Payments will be stewarded through labelling, seasonal timing, behavioural nudges and complementary education and support services.
2. A fund will be established and invested in an ethical portfolio, generating returns that will be used to pay a universal, unconditional ‘Conservation Dividend’ to every adult in Il Ngwesi, sustainably financing Cash for Conservation beyond the initial lump sum transfer.
This project addresses the pressing need for innovative conservation and nature finance models rooted in justice and local ownership. By positioning communities as central stewards and beneficiaries of conservation, it offers a replicable mechanism to scale across Laikipia’s 20+ conservancies and other ecologically vulnerable regions worldwide.
Learn about how the fund works and our Theory of Change in the graphics below, or read our full concept note.
Find out more
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Consultation process
We’ve spent the last 6 months engaging and co-designing this project with over 1,100 residents of Il Ngwesi. The community share their thoughts in the blog post below.
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Il Ngwesi Conservancy
Il Ngwesi has been a leader in community conservation in Laikipia County for over three decades. Find out more about their work, ecotourism projects and the community below.
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Cash for Conservation
Cash for Conservation is a global movement to deliver direct, unconditional cash support to frontline communities globally. Find out more below.