The Alliance for Empowering Rural Communities (AERC) has publicly opposed a legislative proposal by the Majority Leader of , , to fund a pension scheme for retired parliamentarians using carbon credit revenues.
In a statement released on February 4, 2025, AERC argued that such a move would conflict with the objectives of the Environmental Protection Act, 2025 (Act 1124), which mandates that carbon credit funds be used exclusively for climate change mitigation efforts.
AERC highlighted the ethical and practical implications of diverting funds meant for environmental protection to non-environmental uses.
The organisation cited the Environmental Protection Act, emphasizing that carbon credits are intended to finance projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote renewable energy, and support conservation initiatives. "Diverting these resources to finance a pension scheme for parliamentarians contradicts the fundamental purpose of these funds and undermines national commitments to climate action," the AERC statement read.
