For the past three years, we relied on the Gold Standard certified climate projects, as part our sustainability policy in Zero Waste City to offset our contribution to greenhouse gases emissions.
For 2021, we supported the Nicaforest High Impact Reforestation Program.
See article: https://zerowastecity.com/we-support-the-nicaforest-high-impact-reforestation-program/
For 2022, we supported the Planting Biodiverse Forests in Panama.
See article: https://zerowastecity.com/we-support-the-planting-of-biodiverse-forests-in-panama-co2ol-tropical-mix/
This year, we decided to once again support the Planting Biodiverse Forests in Panama.
What is the CO2OL Tropical Mix?
A climate protection project located in Panama where they do afforestation and reforestation on degraded lands. Afforestation (i.e. converting long-time non-forested land into forest) refers to the establishment of forests where previously there have been none, or where forests have been missing for a long time (50 years according to UNFCCC) while reforestation refers to the replanting of trees on more recently deforested land (i.e. converting recently non-forested land in forest). This project aims to provide sustainable timber production and cocoa cultivation; protect biodiversity and restore healthy forest ecosystems.
Sustainable forest management and cocoa production offer employment opportunities, therefore, improve the economic and social situation of rural communities and families. Moreover, the project helps to promote mutual learning and knowledge transfer.
CO2OL Tropical Mix has been one of the first in line to be successfully certified under the renowned Gold Standard for land use and forestry projects; the cocoa production areas have been the first agroforestry systems to be certified under the Gold Standard.
Engage your organisation in the fight for climate change by offsetting your carbon emissions. Find out the projects you would like to support here: https://marketplace.goldstandard.org/collections/projects
What is carbon offset?
A carbon offset refers to any activity that compensates for the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) or other greenhouse gases (measured in carbon dioxide equivalents [CO2e]) by providing for an emission reduction elsewhere. Because greenhouse gases are widespread in Earth’s atmosphere, the climate benefits from emission reductions regardless of where such cutbacks occur. If carbon reductions are equivalent to the total carbon footprint of an activity, then the activity is said to be “carbon neutral.” Carbon offsets can be bought, sold, or traded as part of a carbon market. [1]
How to we impact climate change?
ZWC help businesses reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, however, we also contribute to them, via:
- The use of computers and IT infrastructure.
- Transportation (using taxi, public transport, ferries, and airplane flights)
- Electricity for air conditioning and so on.
With a series of calculations and estimations, we can estimate the total carbon emissions, 16 tonnes, associated with our activity during the last financial year.
What is Gold Standard?
Gold Standard [2] was established in 2003 by WWF and other international NGOs to ensure projects that reduced carbon emissions featured the highest levels of environmental integrity and contributed to sustainable development. With the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, they launched a best practice standard for climate and sustainable development interventions, Gold Standard for the Global Goals, to maximise impact, creating value for people around the world and the planet we share.
[1] Carbon offset, https://www.britannica.com/technology/carbon-offset
[2] Gold Standard official website, https://www.goldstandard.org/about-us/vision-and-mission