The Social Carbon Concept

Cost Effective, Strategies and Community Involviment

Ecologica considering its involvement in several carbon sequestration projects developed in the Brazilian Amazon region defined the social carbon concept. Social carbon is that which beyond absorbing and bringing emission reductions contributes significantly to the development of the community where the project is taking place, bringing sustainable livelihood, considering six major parameters: financial, human, social, environmental, physical, and technological.

This document outline promising avenue for investment in reforestation activities through carbon  offset mechanisms, which have the potential to deliver highly cost-effective sequestration in a  socially responsible manner. The Project developed by Ecologica follow a holistic strategy,  with elements of preservation being combined with reforestation and agroforestry initiatives, using the Social Carbon Standard or Climate Community and Biodiversity Standarts. Associated with another Carbon Standard such as VCS or CCAR.

There are a number of reasons why such a mixed approach is preferable to one based solely on forest protection or on reforestation. Two salient issues here are: local community involvement, and the cost-effective delivery of carbon sequestration targets. With regard to community involvement, experience in many parts of the world has shown that environmental projects with strategies based solely on preservation tend to overlook the needs and aspirations of local communities and therefore run the risk of alienating them. This alienation undermines project effectiveness, and often actually results in project failure. Ecológica is firmly committed to the goals of participation, equity, and the sustainable management of natural resources.

A commitment which has been demonstrated in, and reinforced by, our experience in the preparation and realisation of the Bananal Island Carbon Sequestration Project and other projects. We believe that community involvement in carbon sequestration schemes is vital to ensure their long-term survival and success. Hence, a central concern of the projects outlined below is to nvolve the local inhabitants, and to ensure that the projects offer ways of improving their livelihoods and living conditions.

With regard to costs, it is evident that the preservation of existing old growth forests which are threatened with destruction or fragmentation is the simplest and cost effective method of ensuring carbon sequestration for offset purposes. Tropical rainforests such as those found in Tocantins State can contain up to 100 tonnes of carbon per hectare (ha), so the preservation of a relatively small area can safeguard a relatively large amount of terrestrial carbon. In contrast, reforestation of degraded areas can be an expensive business, and the sequestration targets take longer to be realised. Hence, an offset approach based solely on reforestation does not appear to represent an effective use of resources.

All The Project developed by Ecologica Forestry contain elements of preservation and of reforestation, coupled with initiatives to provide direct and tangible benefits for the local population which will therefore support the regenerative and preservationist aspects of the forest management component.