Carbon Neutral
Project Summary
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project protects 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres) of critical bonobo and forest elephant habitat within the world’s second-largest intact rainforest and some of the most important wetlands on the planet, the Congo Basin. This project reduces the principal drivers of forest and biodiversity loss and is charting a new pathway for community prosperity through comprehensive investments into the surrounding local communities, which are among the most impoverished in the world. Such investments include building and renovating schools, providing healthcare services (such as access to immunizations), supporting food security and nutrition (such as through agricultural diversification), and providing capacity building activities that empower local communities.
The Threat
In the western part of the DRC, along the west side of Lake Mai Ndombe, almost 250,000 hectares of rainforest, highly valued by logging companies, were zoned for commercial timber extraction. This forest, which has one of the most important wetlands in the world, is home to bonobos, forest elephants and chimpanzees. The area is also home to over 180,000 people.
Prior to the project, logging companies had severely damaged the environment in the region, and had largely ignored the rights and health of the wildlife and community. Logging drove already threatened wildlife populations further down, and brought little to no economic benefit to the local people.
The Solution
In 2008, following a revision by the government of the DRC National Forest Code, and in an effort to address corruption in the sector, 91 of the 156 logging contracts then in effect were suspended. After the moratorium was lifted, the government began reissuing the concessions. It was expected that these concessions would be rewarded to the original companies, or would go back to public tender for logging companies to bid on the concession.
One of the project’s founders identified a clause in the forest code indicating that if there were compelling humanitarian or environmental reasons why a concession award should be given without a public tender, then the concession could be awarded at the discretion of the Minister of Environment. The project founder successfully convinced the Ministry of the area’s conservation importance, and to award it to a REDD+ project instead as a conservation concession.
This was when Wildlife Works, in partnership with Era Ecosystem Services, implemented a REDD+ conservation strategy, using revenues from the sale of carbon to establish sustainable development opportunities for the local community while protecting the area from deforestation.
Progress
Since the launch of the project in 2011, logging in the area has halted
and with the help of reforestation programs, deforested areas have regenerated, bringing back important biodiversity and allowing for wildlife to thrive. To relieve deforestation pressure from the local community, the project has introduced sustainable farming techniques and agroforestry nurseries. Three schools have been built, with four more under construction, benefitting over 8,000 students. The project has also established a mobile medical clinic that treats thousands of patients who previously had little to no access to health care.
The project has undertaken educational activities to increase literacy and diversify livelihoods. These activities help the communities to be better prepared to face the impacts of climate change, which is expected to threaten food security and bring increases in natural disasters and diseases.
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project has reduced an average of over 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually thus far.
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project is an ecologically rich and diverse area previously zoned for commercial timber extraction. The project’s activities aim to protect habitat by minimizing fragmentation within the project area.
The Mai Ndombe REDD+ project focuses on protecting two endangered species: the Bonobo and Forest Elephant. For years these species were being driven away by the deforestation activities. Since the project began, the wildlife have begun to return.
The current population of the endangered Bonobo (only found in the Congo Basin) is estimated between 30,000 – 50,000. About 20 Bonobos live in the project’s protected area.
The current population of the Forest Elephant (only found in the Congo Basin) is estimated at 100,000. About 30 Forest Elephants now live in the project area.
Each year the project builds schools towards the goal of 28 total schools within the project area. The 6 schools built to date provide education for over 900 children who previously did not have any access to formal education.
Explaining Scope 1, 2 & 3
Scope 1: Direct GHG Emissions
Direct GHG emissions occur from sources that are owned or controlled by the company, for example, emissions from combustion in owned or controlled boilers, furnaces, vehicles, etc.; emissions from chemical production in owned or controlled process equipment. Direct CO2 emissions from the combustion of biomass shall not be included in scope 1 but reported separately. GHG emissions not covered by the Kyoto Protocol, e.g. CFCs, NOx, etc. shall not be included in scope 1 but may be reported separately.
Scope 2: Electricity Indirect GHG Emissions
Scope 2 accounts for GHG emissions from the generation of purchased electricity consumed by a company. Purchased electricity is defined as electricity that is purchased or otherwise brought into the organizational boundary of the company. Scope 2 emissions physically occur at the facility where electricity is generated.
Scope 3: Other Indirect GHG Emissions
Scope 3 is an optional reporting category that allows for the treatment of all other indirect emissions. Scope 3 emissions are a consequence of the activities of the company, but occur from sources not owned or controlled by the company. Some examples of scope 3 activities are extraction and production of purchased materials; transportation of purchased fuels; and use of products and services.
