Reducing carbon, strengthening communities

Rural transformation has taken millions of people out of poverty by diversifying livelihoods and strengthening the economic and social resilience of local communities¹

By buying carbon offsets, bp Target Neutral is supporting finance that not only reduces carbon but also supports community-based projects that reduce dependency on deforestation, increase the diversity of income sources, and improve local infrastructure.

In Zambia, deforestation is driven by charcoal production and the expansion of farmlands.  The Lower Zambezi REDD+ project aims to protect the Rufunsa Conservancy, a 41,160-hectare area adjacent to the Lower Zambezi National Park - one of the last intact areas of forest in Lusaka Province.

Above: Families gather round a newly planted tree in the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project

More than half of the charcoal supply to Zambia’s capital city, Lusaka originates from the project’s location. The project provides training to current charcoal producers in sustainable charcoal production practices and financial incentives to operate only within designated areas of the protected community forest.

It also provides training and support to hundreds of households in conservation farming practices, which help farmers to generate higher yields through more efficient farming practices.

This will lead to an estimated reduction in carbon emissions of more than 180,000 tonnes of CO₂e per year over the selected 30-year crediting period.

Above: The Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project protects 41,160 hectares of primary Miombo forest that borders the Lower Zambezi National Park (4,092 km sq) known as the Rufunsa Conservancy

In addition, nearly 37,000 people are direct beneficiaries of the project’s different livelihood intervention activities. These include the creation of local jobs, the financing of environmental education and improving community infrastructure and health by increasing access to clean water.

70% of all clean water in the project area has been enabled by boreholes funded through the project.

And BioCarbon has partnered with local organization Bee Sweet to deliver a long term and scalable beekeeping initiative that has provided over 5,000 beehives to more than 200 households in the area.

Left: Bee-keeping is one of the key community livelihoods projects implemented through the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project. Centre: 70% of all clean water in the LZRP project area is enabled by BCP boreholes funded through LZRP carbon offsets. Right: Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project is supporting an eco-charcoal project that provides training and markets for charcoal produced in a sustainable way.

 1. United Nations. http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1042091/icode/

For further information: bptargetneutral@bp.com