afrol News, 29 April - A Mozambican green community project and a Kenyan forest project have today been named as winners in the climate grants awards.

Together with a thord winner from Peru, the Nhambita Community Carbon Project, Mozambique and the Kakamega Forest Again Project, Kenya would each get a US$ 35,000 grant that will help them spur the forest-based carbon offset projects.

The grants awarded by the Hyundai Motor America (HMA) and Carbonfund.org, in conjunction with the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance, help defray the substantial upfront costs associated with developing high quality multiple-benefit projects and bringing them to the carbon market, such as GIS mapping, project consulting and studies. In addition, the grants help projects achieve validation to the Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards, which are rigorous and take into account a project's impact and benefits on the surrounding communities and on biodiversity.

"Our Genesis Forest Project was designed as a sustainable environment initiative and through these grants we hope that our modest investment will pay dividends for years to come," said Justin Osborne, national manager of brand strategy for Hyundai. "We know the grant recipients share our vision for a healthy planet, and we commend them for their dedication to preserving and protecting these important natural resources."

Carbonfund.org President Eric Carlson noted that, "About 25 percent of global warming can be attributed to deforestation, meaning reforestation and forest preservation are critical solutions to solving global warming. We're proud to be a partner with Hyundai on the HMA Climate Grant program and helping projects meet stringent third-party standards. Meeting CCB and other standards has helped Carbonfund.org's own projects distinguish themselves as among the highest quality offset projects."

HMA and Carbonfund.org partnered in November 2008 to offset the emissions of all 2009 Hyundai Genesis sedans.

"The Hyundai Climate Grant is a symbol of a paradigm shift in which livelihoods, traditionally built upon the consumption of natural resources, can be built upon the restoration and/or conservation of natural resources. Forest Again is a rainforest restoration project that is devoted to promoting sustainable livelihoods in Kenya," said Making Connections Director Mark Lung.

"Through the grants, Hyundai and Carbonfund.org are providing important support to these three projects that serve as great examples of how forest carbon offsets can create additional advantages by improving the livelihoods of the rural poor in developing countries and conserving endangered species," said Joanna Durbin, director of the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Alliance, which administers the CCB Standards. "The grants are helping these projects to move towards joining the growing number of projects using the CCB Standards."

The Nhambita Community Carbon Project in Mozambique has developed a business model using the sale of carbon offsets to support the conservation and management of existing forests and the planting of new ones. Envirotrade's flagship Nhambita project has worked with communities for the past six years to rehabilitate and manage the forests on their land and introduce new, sustainable farming practices, which have had a dramatic effect on crop yields such as cashews and fruits, and provide healthy livelihoods for about 1,300 families.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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