The Kariba REDD+ project in Zimbabwe has, since 2011, prevented more than 18 million tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. But in addition to helping the climate, the project has also supported the independence and wellbeing of local communities.
South Pole Group is proud to announce that the Kariba REDD+ Project has successfully finished its third verification under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and second under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS). More than 7 million Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) have been verified for a two year period, with the inclusion of 1 million VCUs from soil carbon for the very first time.
"The Kariba REDD+ Project exists today thanks to the sales of VCUs. Without selling these carbon credits, it would be impossible to continue or upscale the project activities," says South Pole Group Project Manager Abel Alan Marcarini. "Even though the project activities are designed to be self-sustained in the long term, the revenues from VCUs are crucial and necessary to continue benefiting the community and reducing deforestation and forest degradation in the whole area."
Project activities such as conservation agriculture, community gardens, beekeeping training, fire management and ecotourism create jobs and facilitate sustainable incomes to continually benefit the entire community. The third verification of the Kariba project means that Kariba can continue to provide high quality support to the community, and reduce a further 7 million tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere before the next verification. For more information about our Kariba Project, visit our website.
