Press release: Contributing to climate protection and helping Brazil nut harvesters in Peru: the success of Tambopata

Independent expert opinions and analyses unanimously confirm the positive climate impact of the Tambopata project, while maintaining high quality standards and regular certification. The foodwatch report on the Tambopata project in Peru has been comprehensively disproven. The unjustified criticism threatens to have a negative impact on Brazil nut harvesters.

ClimatePartner, Munich, has carefully followed up on foodwatch's criticisms of the Tambopata forest conservation project: these have been refuted in all respects, as confirmed by a re-analysis of the project's progress, evidence from the local project developer, and a comprehensive independent assessment by internationally recognized climate change project assessment expert Sylvera. Sylvera assesses the effectiveness of carbon offset projects with the help of geodata and artificial intelligence, combined with sound methodological expertise.

Confirmation of CO₂ emissions saved

The geodata analyses clearly confirm the CO₂ emissions saved. The project achieves clear CO₂ reduction effects and justifies the amount of emission certificates issued. This is also confirmed by the independent Validation & Verification Bodies, SCS Global Services and S & A Carbon, which have regularly verified the CO₂ savings throughout the project period since 2009. 

Important criterion of additionality fully met

ClimatePartner is a company that has been active in the field of climate protection for 15 years. The company's benchmark is to promote climate protection in a responsible and sustainable manner. Therefore, ClimatePartner always pays attention to compliance with standards in the selection and monitoring of projects: the Tambopata project is certified according to the global market-leading Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) for carbon offset projects. VERRA, the world's leading standard setter in the field of climate protection, is behind this. The requirements of the VCS — in particular the criterion of additionality and the adoption of the baseline—have been proven to be met. This includes financial additionality, since without the revenues from the sale of emission reduction certificates, the project activities could not be financed. The environmental additionality is also given by the protection of the forest ensured in the project and the related avoidance of CO₂ emissions.

Preservation of the forest in the region

In the Tambopata project, forest has been actively protected for more than 10 years. Data on forest loss in the project area and the adjacent comparison area without forest protection prove that externally certified forest protection is being successfully implemented here. The verification reports of the independent auditors SCS Global Services and S & A Carbon, as well as the information available from the geospatial data analyses on forest loss in the project area and the adjacent comparison area, clearly demonstrate the externally certified forest protection.

Brazil nut farmers in danger from unwarranted criticism

In summary, the analyses consistently confirm the positive impact of the Tambopata project, given the observance of high quality standards and regular certification. It can therefore be assumed that the foodwatch report is based on methodological errors and incorrect conclusions derived from them. ClimatePartner is committed to the Tambopata project on the basis of valid evidence. Due to the unjustified criticism of foodwatch, the forest protection project is in danger: the project and the Brazil nut farmers are sustainably dependent on the sale of CO₂ reduction certificates, because the project cannot support itself financially without this income. 

Certified carbon offset projects promote the United Nations' sustainability goals

The first step in a holistic climate protection strategy is always the calculation and balancing as well as the avoidance and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Only in the final step is the remaining greenhouse gas emissions offset in the balance sheet via certified carbon offset projects. In addition to climate protection, high-quality carbon offset projects such as Tambopata also support various UN sustainability goals. Thus, an additional valuable contribution is made to improving the living conditions for the local people and nature. The triad of calculation, reduction and compensation via carbon offset projects is explicitly supported by both the United Nations and national institutions such as the Alliance for Development and Climate Foundation. Without the support of companies in the so-called voluntary market, the projects could not be financed.

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