Land Rights are Key to Achieve Just Climate Action, New Report “Net Zero & Land Rights” by Robert Bosch Stiftung and TMG Research Shows

Berlin/Stuttgart, May 22, 2025 – In order to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, governments and companies worldwide are pledging to reach net zero by cutting emissions and offsetting the rest, aiming to keep global temperature below 2°C. A key instrument in this effort is carbon sequestration through land-based measures, like reforestation and afforestation. By 2060, up to one billion hectares of land—nearly the size of China or the United States—would be required to realise those net-zero climate pledges.

"Net Zero & Land Rights", a new publication by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and TMG Research released today warns that these land-based carbon removal strategies could trigger a new global land rush, exacerbate existing land-use conflicts, threaten food security, displace local communities, undermine Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and amplify inequality. In light of this, the study's authors call for a more equitable approach to land rights within climate policy.
Thes report comes just weeks before climate negotiators reconvene in Bonn in June at the UN Climate Change Conference under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), known as SB62. There, governments are expected to make further progress on the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which governs international carbon markets. 

Indigenous Peoples are key players in climate protection: they preserve around 80 per cent of global biodiversity while inhabiting just 22 per cent of it. Moreover, while Indigenous Peoples and local communities claim customary rights to approximately 65 per cent of the world’s land, yet only 10 per cent is officially recognized as formally owned.

The publication critically illustrates the role of voluntary carbon markets, which are meant to direct investments into climate action projects.
It reveals that land-based carbon offset projects are rapidly expanding across vast areas of land, particularly across the African continent wherein land tenure is often insecure. From the Congo Basin to Niger, local communities are facing growing pressure from carbon offset projects that lack proper safeguards. These developments are unfolding even as many of these communities have no formal recognition of their land.

“Climate protection must not come at the cost of social justice,” emphasizes Dr. Tabea Lissner, Head of the Climate Change Team at the Robert Bosch Stiftung. “If we are serious about achieving net zero targets, we must simultaneously protect the land rights of people in the Global South. Otherwise, climate measures will lose their legitimacy.”

Dr. Jes Weigelt, Managing Director of TMG Think Tank for Sustainability, warns: "We are seeing the return of a land rush—this time driven by carbon markets and climate targets. But this can’t be how we build climate resilience. Communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis are also key stewards of forests, grasslands, and biodiversity. Securing their land rights is not optional—it is essential for meaningful, just, and lasting climate action."

The publication formulates clear political recommendations: It calls for the recognition and protection of legitimate land rights, including those based on traditional and customary systems.

Governments, donors, and carbon market actors are urged to ensure that every project treats Indigenous and local communities as equal partners to forge inclusive climate policies; that projects only proceed after the “free, prior and informed consent” of local communities; and that gender equality and customary tenure recognition are embedded in all climate-related land use interventions.

The report also calls for the integration of land rights into national climate strategies, including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that all countries signatories of the Paris Agreement must submit to the UN by this September. Binding standards for carbon offset projects are needed to prevent land grabbing and ecological harm. 

The Robert Bosch Stiftung is active in the areas of health, education, and global issues. Through its funding, the Foundation works for a just and sustainable future. It is non-profit, independent and non-partisan and is rooted in the legacy of Robert Bosch. In his legacy, the entrepreneur and founder formulated the dual mission of securing the company's future and continuing his social commitment. The Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH maintains its own facilities, develops innovative projects, and provides support at both the international and local level. The Foundation contributes findings from these projects to the professional world and public debate.

The Foundation holds around 94 percent of the shares in Robert Bosch GmbH and is financed by dividends. The company and the Foundation are independent of each other. Since its establishment in 1964, the Robert Bosch Stiftung has contributed more than 2.5 billion euros to its charitable work.

TMG Research is dedicated to driving just and sustain¬able transitions through action research and advocacy. Committed to a rights-¬based approach, our programmes focus on responsible land governance, food systems transformation in rural and urban settings, and adaptation to climate change. 
At TMG, science with society is more than a principle; it's how we work to ensure equitable pathways to sustainable development. We explore how local innovations and glob¬al policies intersect to drive systemic change, ensuring that international frameworks are both inspired by and responsive to community led transformations. Our re¬search projects and advocacy are co¬developed with civil society, policymakers, scientists and the private sector to ensure international sustainability efforts are informed by emergent innovations and forge real-world solutions. 
TMG is headquartered in Berlin, with a team in Nairobi. Our research focuses primarily on the European Union and Africa, including Benin, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi and South Africa. 
EUREF Campus 6–9, 10829 Berlin, Germany