Becoming Carbon Neutral: Our Commitment to the Planet

Deforestation in Brazil has accounted for nearly a third of the global decline in forest cover in recent years. Without sustainable options, some communities will clear land to earn a living through agriculture. The project area is rich in biodiversity with 345 bird species and 12 flora and fauna that are IUCN endangered species.

This project prevents the deforestation of 186,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest, located between the States of Acre and Amazonas. The land is divided into 30 annual management units, with forestry limited to one unit per year. This means that 97% of this area of rainforest is left fully protected and is given 29 years to regenerate.

Carbon finance drives emissions reductions, protects biodiversity and empowers local communities. In addition to preserving forest, the project also works with local communities to provide better incomes and education. The project has invested in community education and training in sustainable forestry practices, promoting knowledge sharing in local communities.

Renewable energy projects in this portfolio are vital to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the growing global demand for energy and build sustainable infrastructure. These projects also contribute to the local economy and livelihood of residents through the creation of jobs. These include full-time maintenance and operational roles, and temporary roles during planning and construction.

Energy generation is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, and renewable energy investment is a fast and effective solution to reduce these emissions. Carbon finance, delivered by companies like us who offset their emissions, provide essential funds to support the development of these global renewable projects.

Chile has ambitious plans for renewable energy sources like wind and solar. By 2035, the government wants a majority of electricity generated in the country to come from renewable sources, and by 2050 the goal is for over two thirds of to come from renewables.

This project installed 22 new wind turbines in El Morro in the region of Bio Bio, Chile, which is 500 km south of Santiago. The clean, renewable power generated will feed into Chile’s Sistema Interconectado Central (Central Interconnected Grid) the main national power grid.

The project activity supplies zero-emissions electricity to the grid, thus avoiding greenhouse gases emissions by displacing fossil-fuel power plants. The wind farm construction and maintenance also contribute to the global transfer of skills and resources needed to achieve a zero-emission future.

This award-winning project has created almost 420 acres of new wetlands, established an environmental education centre and generates electricity from the landfill gas (LFG) to power 18,000 homes. The electricity is generated by capturing methane from LFG emitted by the 178 acre expansion to the Seneca Meadows landfill site - New York’s largest non-hazardous solid waste facility. The project demonstrates that it is possible to make significant reductions in the greenhouse gas (GHG) impact of landfill projects, while showcasing how carbon finance can be used to extend environmental stewardship.

Solar water heaters (SWH) provide households, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and institutions with an in-house hot water supply fueled by renewable energy rather than carbon intensive grid electricity. The project is primarily focused on serving urban areas throughout the country, and manufactures, distributes, installs and maintains solar water heaters for a variety of residential, commercial and community buildings. The project uses a range of channels to distribute the solar water heaters, primarily private entrepreneurs or larger entities that act as solar water heater dealers and franchise sub-dealers. Some units are also sold directly to customers, and in some instances, partnerships with city, state and regional governments are also used for distribution. The project developer conducts awareness programmes in schools and general public exhibitions to help increase uptake of its solar products.