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Rubber tapping in Xapuri
November 17, 2009
Gary Gero
Rubber tapping
Yesterday we saw how indingenous peoples are using intact forest lands, and today we learned about the use of managed forests (and – here’s a preview – tomorrow we consider restoration of deforested areas). We travelled to the town of Xapuri in the southern part of Acre near the Bolivian border to see an “extractive reserve” on which rubber tapping and FSC certified forest management is exercised. This, too, is a way of having the existing forest resources provide economic benefits to reduce the pressure for deforestation. Here the government of Acre is creating economic development opportunities in the city by supporting operations that make use of the natural resources. Seventy families practice rubber tapping in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve to obtain natural latex from rubber trees.
Observing the traditional and largely unchanged extraction process in the forest was fascinating. After the latex is extracted, it is then processed at a condom factory, which employs 150 people, in the nearby city of Xapuri. Our visit to this facility to see the production process demonstrated the full cycle of this strategy as the entire output of more than one million condoms are purchased by the Brazilian government for free distribution as part of the health initiative. Similarly, sustainably harvested woods are processed at a mill here into finished FSC certified, high-end flooring boards that are sold around the world. The mill, which we also visited, uses the sawdust and other detrius from this process to run a power plant that generates more than sufficient energy for the plant operations.
We finally settled in for the evening at a lodge built by the rubber tappers association. The lodge has a wood burning stove that also generates electricity for the facility. We had much discussion with Acre state government officials on the possibility of a state-to-state initiative to use carbon markets to support state-wide avoided deforestation.
Ashanika: a study in sustainable practices
November 16, 2009
Gary Gero
Motorized canoes used to transport us on the river
The enormity of the Amazon becomes readily apparent after flying for hours over thick forests only to see on the map that we have covered but a sliver. Today we travelled by small turboprop airplane west from Rio Branco through rain clouds to an area near the Peruvian border and the foothills of the Andes mountains. From the town of Marechal Thaumaturgo, we continued several hours up river in small boats to visit with the Ashanika, a tribe of indigenous people who are developing a small scale economic model using sustainable agricultural and forest practices. By demonstrating that the forest can provide livelihoods without relying on destructive logging or land
Aerial view of deforested patch
clearing practices, the Ashanika are providing a real world
example for other forest people in the Amazon. Indeed, we spent the night at a training facility in Marechal Thaumaturgo that they created using the proceeds from their activities in partnership with several NGOs. This spare but functional facility is used to teach others about their sustainable business model.
Studying rainforests in the Brazilian Amazon
November 15, 2009
Gary Gero
I’m very excited to be writing today from the town of Rio Branco in the state of Acre (pronounced “ah-cray”) in the Brazilian Amazon where Linda Adams, Secretary of California EPA; Mike Chrisman, Secretary of California’s Natural Resources Agency; and I are studying the pressures on the rainforest and learning about efforts to prevent deforestation. This study trip is a follow up to the Governors Global Climate Summit and the MOU that was signed by 30 state and provincial leaders from around the world.
We got started early this morning during our four hour layover in the city of Manaus with a visit to Dr. Phillip Fearnside, a leading researcher on climate change in the Amazon. The day was capped with a long visit with Governor Binho Marques and his environmental and forestry directors to understand the tremendous efforts that Acre has undertaken to reduce deforestation while simultaneously addressing the important economic and social issues facing this state in the northwest portion of Brazil. Governor Marques provided our small group with a personal tour of a museum dedicated to the local area that includes a great tribute to the environmental activist Chico Mendes who started and led a peaceful movement to protect the forest until his murder in 1988. His efforts continue to resonate today in Acre, where there is a clear sustainability consciousness.
We are very fortunate to have Dr. Steve Schwartzman from Environmental Defense Fund guiding and helping us here. He has a long history working in the Amazon and has been keenly focused on avoided deforestation issues. I will do my best (cell/internet service allowing) to send short posts along this week on our studies to share will all of you what we are learning here.
Ozone Depleting Substances Project Protocol Public Workshop
Location: Washington, DC
The World Bank
J Building, Room J B1-080
1818 H Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20433
Date: December 7, 2009
Start Time: 12:00 PM EST
End Time: 4:00 PM EST
Description:
The Reserve is hosting a public workshop to provide a venue for public feedback on the draft Ozone Depleting Substances Project Protocol. The public workshop is scheduled for Monday, December 7, 2009 in Washington, DC.
If you plan on attending or calling in, please RSVP below by December 3, 2009. An agenda and conference call information will be provided to participants prior to the meeting.
If you have questions about the workshop, please contact Heather Raven at 213-542-0282 or heather@climateactionreserve.org.
Ozone Depleting Substances Project Protocol Public Workshop in Washington, DC, on December 7
Climate Action Reserve Exceeds Milestone of One Hundred Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Projects
Climate Action Reserve Exceeds Milestone of One Hundred Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Projects
Rapid growth of offsets registry demonstrates the strength and success of the North American carbon market
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Climate Action Reserve, the premier offset registry for the North American carbon market, today announced it exceeded the milestone of 100 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction projects. The milestone demonstrates the ability for the carbon market to successfully utilize a collaboration between the business and environmental communities to mitigate climate change. It also reflects these communities’ confidence in the quality and value of the Reserve’s offset credits, known as a Climate Reserve Tonnes (CRTs).
“With 100 projects submitted into the Reserve program, we can be confident that significant momentum is underway to effectively mitigate climate change through the carbon market,” said Linda Adams, Chair of the Climate Action Reserve Board of Directors and Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. “The Reserve’s rigorous accounting and verification requirements, consistent performance standards and transparent public-participation process provide strong environmental safeguards for the credibility of project activities.”
The 100 project milestone also signifies the Reserve’s ability to effectively and efficiently administer its scalable program during a time of rapid growth and increased demand. The program was launched in May 2008 with just two forest projects in California. Today, the Reserve has projects listed and registered in 38 states. These projects were developed according to the Reserve’s protocols, which currently address GHG emissions reductions from forest, landfill methane, livestock methane, urban forest, coal mine methane and organic waste digestion projects throughout the nation. The Reserve also has landfill and livestock protocols for Mexico, which enable emissions reduction projects in that country to earn CRTs.
2/100 PROJECTS
The Reserve’s protocols ensure that GHG reductions are real, additional, verifiable, enforceable and permanent. Credited emissions reductions generate high quality offsets, which are above business-as-usual practices, regularly monitored and verified, subject to penalties for non-compliance and provide ever-lasting benefits to the environment. Each CRT offset credit represents one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent reduced or sequestered from the atmosphere. Information on issued CRTs and projects are publicly accessible through the Reserve website.
“The Reserve’s offset program provides an efficient means for project developers to qualify and register projects, as well as excellent transparency for carbon offset buyers,” said Erin Craig, President of Carbon Management Services, TerraPass. “We saw the value very early, and have submitted a dozen projects to date. As we continue our on-the-ground work addressing climate change, we expect to submit many more. The high value of CRTs reflects the credibility of our projects as well as the Reserve program.”
The Climate Action Reserve’s offset program has kept pace with the growing interest in offsets and has quickly progressed into the premier carbon market leader. The Reserve has been recognized and supported by the State of California, the State of Pennsylvania and leading environmental organizations, including the Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council and Sierra Club.
Livestock Project Protocol Version 2.2 is now available