For individuals and companies
A breath of fresh air.
The World Land Trust (WLT) officially launched its Carbon Balanced programme in March 2005 at London’s Rainforest Café. The programme aims to give individuals, as well as companies, an opportunity to address the carbon dioxide emissions we are all responsible for. Rainforests absorb between 400 and 500 kg of carbon per hectare (or 162-202 kg per acre) every year.
This is a rough estimate as figures will change depending on the soil types and leaf litter. But there is no question that a mature rainforest tree is capable of absorbing many times more carbon than a newly planted tree in a temperate climate. Saving tropical forests with WLT will lock up valuable carbon and help off-set the damage caused by modern day living.
Climate Change—an issue that affects everyone
Carbon emission reduction is now recognised as the most important element in the fight against climate change. In the 21st century global temperatures are expected to increase between 1.4° and 5° C; a larger rise than any in the last 10,000 years. The main reason for this is thought to be the burning of fossil fuels and the clearance of forest. This has caused the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, or what are now termed “greenhouse gases”, to increase. To help prevent carbon dioxide concentrations continuing to rise in the 21st century it is essential that the world reduces the amount of fossil fuels burned and slows down the destruction of tropical rainforests. And with World Land Trust it is possible to Assess, Reduce and Offset your CO2 emissions.
Where are the Tropical Forests which can lock up my Carbon?
WLT has been involved in land purchase and protection of rainforests and other threatened habitats since 1989 and is currently working with Fundación Jocotoco (FJ), our partners in Ecuador, to purchase more forest regions in Ecuador. The land being purchased for carbon offset is up to 80% degraded (i.e. it has been cleared for agriculture or other farming use). FJ monitors the regeneration of forest on the land continuously and takes detailed measurements of the total carbon stock after three years, and periodically thereafter up to 25 years and beyond. Our calculations are based on conservative estimates of the total amount of CO2 that will be sequestered on this acreage as it regenerates. Our figures also allow an additional percentage of 40% for ‘leakage’ (events such as natural fires, land slides etc) which reduce the carbon stock or which release CO2 stored in the forest).
Growing forests act as carbon sinks; that is to say they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. We would calculate the area of degraded rainforest that would need to be secured, regenerated and protected to offset your annual CO2 emissions. This calculation will be based on a figure of 3 tonnes CO2 being sequestered per hectare per year for a 20 year period.
Perhaps the single most important by-product of offsetting your CO2 is that you will be helping preserve biodiversity. A good level of biodiversity returns to an area of forest within two years of regeneration and by working in the tropics regeneration is far quicker than in temperate climates.
Climate change is the biggest environmental threat facing the planet. It could displace a billion people around the world, wrecking homes, transport, agricultural systems and devastating wildlife. It affects each and every one of us and we all have a role to play.
Shopping List, for instance:
£10 will balance ..
A couple's electricity for One Year
£25 will balance ..
One person's car use for One Year
One person's return flight to
Australia
£50 will balance ..
One person’s gap year/career break
with travel costs
A couple's fuel, transport and energy
use for One Year
£100 will help balance ..
A family holiday in West Coast, USA
A family's hot water for One Year
£150 will help balance ..
A wedding and honeymoon
£200 will help balance ..
One long haul family holiday
All figures are approximate
The World Land Trust Carbon Balanced programme provides you with a way to help reduce your impact on the environment whilst contributing to urgent global conservation needs. It also helps preserve endangered species by providing secure habitats.
WLT’s carbon balancing IS:
• Aimed at generating funding for biodiversity and conservation.
• Created by a registered charity with a fifteen year track record in conservation and protection of endangered species and their habitats.
• Project managed by a not for profit organisation.
• Locally managed by individuals from communities surrounding the project areas.
• Targeted at threatened areas of global importance.
• Reducing the effects of carbon dioxide emissions released into the atmosphere.
• Based on the latest findings and constantly carrying out research to improve accuracy of offsets.
• The best of both worlds in terms of benefiting the environment and wildlife.
WLT’s carbon balancing IS NOT:
• Generating a profit for private individuals/shareholders.
• Creating mono-culture forests.
• Exploiting developing countries.
• Disenfranchising local communities.
• Encouraging people to create more carbon dioxide emissions; emissions reduction are a core part of being carbon balanced.
• Performing so called ‘blind offsets’. We are completing our own research so that we can accurately monitor the carbon dioxide offsets we provide.
YOU CAN reduce your carbon dioxide emissions and support rainforest conservation.
Please visit us here to help the planet.
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