Zero Emissions Day, observed annually on 21 September, is an idea that came about in 2008 from Canadian graphic designer, Ken Wallace, who wanted to give the planet a day off. His proposal was one day without fossil fuels. No cars, no flights, no coal-fired power. Just 24 hours to imagine what zero might feel like.
For us at Asilia, the shift away from diesel and other fuels is already underway, not for just one day, but as a permanent change. We recognise the uncomfortable paradox at the heart of our industry and don’t claim to be perfect, but we’ve committed to reducing our Scope 1 emissions by 90 percent by 2037, and that means investing in and changing how we move, power, and plan across our operations. As of today however, we still consume fossil fuel, an emissions cost we offset through carbon credits.
The Chyulu Hills rise between Tsavo and Amboseli, a volcanic stretch of green in southern Kenya that carries water from the highlands to the coast. This stretch of land connects two of the country’s most ecologically important national parks and supports one of Kenya’s largest elephant populations, alongside black rhino, and other species under pressure from habitat loss elsewhere.
The Chyulu Hills Carbon Project was launched to protect over a million acres of grassland, dry forest, and cloud forest, some of the continent’s most vital forests, home to Maasai and Kamba communities. We are now partnering with the project to offset the Scope 1 emissions from our operations in Kenya, reflecting our ongoing commitment to invest in offsetting projects that are rooted in the destinations where we work that deliver impact far beyond the carbon they measure.
We operate in remote natural areas where the cost of doing business includes emissions we can’t yet avoid. While we work to reduce them, through transitioning our fleet to electric vehicles, upgrading our renewable energy systems, and investing in better data, we take responsibility and offset what remains.
Chyulu Hills carbon credit revenues have created new, sustainable livelihoods for the people who live closest to nature while dramatically reducing pressures on surrounding forests. The project prevents the release of approximately 580,000 metric tons of climate-heating greenhouse gases each year and is expected to prevent at least 18 million metric tons of carbon emissions over its 30-year lifetime.
This is a REDD+ project, a United Nations backed framework that aims to curb climate change by reducing deforestation and shifting land use patterns. What sets it apart is its structure and how the income is used. It is managed through a trust made up of nine local groups, including indigenous landowners, government agencies and long-standing conservation organisations. Each has equal representation. Together, they form a governance board, that includes four Maasai and Kamba groups that collectively own the land under protection. The board meets quarterly to decide how carbon revenue will be used, making the communities the decision makers.
In practical terms, this means carbon credit income is used to replace desks in overcrowded classrooms, to pay secondary school fees for students who would otherwise drop out, has funded food programmes during years of extreme drought, provided maternal healthcare in rural clinics, and paid the salaries of community rangers. It has also created income-generating projects and funded firefighting training and equipment across the region. These initiatives are the result of board-level discussions that prioritise needs identified by local communities, rather than being imposed by external donors.
The project is certified under the Verified Carbon Standard and has achieved Gold status under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity framework. This designation is based on evidence that the project meets rigorous criteria across emissions reduction, ecological protection, and social outcomes. It has also demonstrated that its carbon savings are measurable and can be attributed to changes in land use and forest protection brought about by the project itself.
This new partnership complements the work we’ve supported for several years through Carbon Tanzania. Our Scope 1 emissions from Tanzania operations continue to be offset through their REDD+ projects, which are governed in similar ways and focus heavily on community-led outcomes.
Carbon offsetting is a tool. It only works when used deliberately and paired with credible partners. It isn’t a perfect system, and no one inside it pretends it is. The numbers are modelled, and the baselines open to challenge. But the Chyulu Hills project delivers real outcomes beyond emissions offsetting, through a structure that respects local governance and supports measurable, lasting change.
When you choose to travel with Asilia, you are choosing to make a meaningful contribution to the people, the wildlife, and the crucial wilderness areas of East Africa. Enquire today, and choose to travel with purpose.
