Insular rainforest protection - a small scale project benefiting forest, communities and coral reefs
Why protect forests?
The protection of ecosystems is more urgent than ever. Last year around 18 million hectares were destroyed. This is an area comparable in size to the United Kingdom. Tropical rain-forests are worst affected as 10 million hectares of natural and bio diverse forest were lost in that year. If this trend continues, there will be no more natural forest at the end of this century.
Aside from their immense biodiversity, forests supply crucial ecosystem services, such as generation of oxygen, capture of carbon, clean water, local decrease in temperature by evaporation and the provision of non timber forest products, on which many indigenous people depend.
Therefore it is essential to climate and environment to offset unavoidable emissions by protecting natural forests.
Energy consumed should be sourced primarily from renewables, however the protection of climate and biodiversity is so urgent, that we need to become CO2 neutral today and offset emissions wherever renewable energy is not yet feasible or practical.
What is REDD+ and why does Carbon Habitat offer this kind of projects?
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. By generating income through the sale of carbon credits, existing natural forests are preserved.
How do REDD+ payments benefit ecosystems?
The proceeds are used primarily to fund the salaries of rangers. These patrols help to control poaching or illegal timber harvest. In many cases the projects also pay for land use fees, taxes and income for local communities and other land owners. The sale of carbon credits is often the only viable alternative to timber harvest and can enable indigenous communities to live off and in their forest.