For the first time researchers have found a clear correlation between deforestation and regional precipitation. A team at Leeds University has proven this using satellite and meteorological records from 2003-17 across the Amazon, Congo and SE Asia. At the largest measured scale of 200km squared (40,000 sq km), the study discovered rainfall was 0.25 percentage points lower each month for every 1 percentage point loss of forest.

So the more rainforests are cleared in tropical countries, the less rainfall will be available for local farmers. The study notes that crop yields could decline by 1.25% for each 10 percentage point loss of forest cover. This can enter into a vicious cycle, as reductions in rainfall lead to further forest loss, increased fire vulnerability and weaker carbon drawdown.

The study provides a compelling argument for tropical forest conservation in order to help maintain a cooler and wetter local climate, with benefits for nearby agriculture and people.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05690-1

 

A recent publication in the Guardian(18-01-’23) criticizes the Verra standard throughwhich the majority of the world’s REDD+ credits are issued. Verra is accussed of greatly overestimating the carbon reduction their credits represent. In a response Verra claims that the methods of the studies used by the critics are notrepresentative for the realized results on the ground.

RBI’s position is that the studies used by The Guardian do not jusitify their far reaching claims and further scientific analysis is needed. Neverthless we feel that a thorough scrutiny of the methods used by Verra and other certifiers is very important. This will help to improve the integrity, transparancy and accountablity of the market. But we shouldn’t let scepticism overtake justified criticism aimed at scaling up themuch needed  forest conservation in the tropics via the Voluntary Carbon Market.

Our position is very well reflected in the open letter of Sylvera, subscribed by RBI and almost 50 other organizations representing a mix of developers, ratings platforms, NGOs, marketplaces, intermediaries, and industry bodies.

The Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART) is a global initiative that seeks to incentivize governments to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD), as well as restore forests and protect intact forests (+). ART is a standalone program independent of governments or donor countries. ART’s mission is to serve as a global quality benchmark for jurisdictional REDD+, providing the confidence needed in the integrity of emission reductions and removals from forest protection and restoration to unlock finance at scale for ambitious climate action and to incentivize governments to achieve those results.

ART’s standard for measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification is called TREES Standard. ART claims that this standard is fully aligned with requirements in the Paris Agreement and incorporates market elements that enhance confidence in results. This allowsfor TREES credits to be fungible with credits from other sectors and to attract finance at the scale needed to protect and restore forests globally.

All TREES Credits are serialized and labelled as emission reductions, removals, or High-Forest, Low Deforestation (HFLD) credits. TREES Credits that are authorized by host countries for international transfer and TREES Credits that have Corresponding Adjustments are also labelled in the ART Registry. The ART Registry includes public reports of TREES Credit status, including issuance, retirements and cancellations.

Home – ART Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (artredd.org)

TREES – ART Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (artredd.org)

The Tambopata-Bahuaja Biodiversity Reserve Project is RBI’s main Flagship project. It is part of the Ecosphere+ portfolio, implemented by their local project partner, Peruvian NGO AIDER.

Ecosphere+ reports the following impacts of the project (December ’22):

• Avoided 4.7 million tonnes of CO2, of which almost 50% realized by purchases of RBI members
• Worked to protect 573,299 hectares of threatened Amazon rainforest
• Conserved habitat for 30 unique and threatened species, including the giant river otter, jaguar and giant armadillo
• Created or supported 460 jobs, 30% of which are held by women
• Developed the COOPASER cooperative, a farmer–driven association that provides technical assistance, infrastructure for post-harvest management, quality control, and a route-to-market for local farmers
• Supported local enterprises, such as a new female artisans association and the growth of a sustainable Brazil nut economy
• Contributed EUR 4.8 million to the local economy

ClimatePartner daily works on embedding climate action into corporate activity. They calculate and reduce carbon emissions and offset unabated emissions. The carbon neutral label of ClimatePartner guarantees transparency and credibility. It includes tracking of reduction measures in carbon offset projects, as well as tracking of the amount of CO2 compensated by clients via a specific ID number. As a leading solutions provider for climate action, ClimatePartner combines individual consulting with a cloud-based software that is unique to the market.

Robert Viertelhauzen: “We are proud to join RBI as ClimatePartner and add value to RBI’s mission and vision. We strongly believe that working together, sharing knowledge and creating impact is the only way to climate action.”

Michel Schuurman, Chair of RBI: “We are delighted that ClimatePartner has joined the RBI network. It is a well known brand in the market with a broad portfolio of projects, including REDD+ projects, which is essential for what we want to achieve.”

Meer informatie: Website ClimatePartner