Dedicated, Naturally.

Green Energy, Climate Neutral, Water

Peru:
Brazil nut project helps
to avoid deforestation
Perur tifiBackground
The Amazon basin stretches over eight million square kilometers, about twenty times the size of Germany. Sheer inaccessibility provides effective protection for invaluable habitats for animals and plants.
Madre de Dios province in the East of Peru is a prime example for this. There are indigenous groups livingin the region that haven’t yet made contact with the outside world and scientists estimate that 10% of
the animal species in the area might still be unknown.
However, this delicate ecosystem is threatened. Since August 2011, the Transoceánica highway is cutting
through the region. The Transoceánica is more than 6,200 kilometers long and connects Rio de janeiro inBrazil to the Peruvian capital of Lima on the Pacific coast.

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Key Facts

CCertification:-C

Location:
Madre de Dios, Peru
Project type:
REDD+Total emission reductions:> > 2,100,000t CO2 e p.a. < <Project standard:
Verified Carbon Standard & CCBS
Project start date:
October 2009

Sustainable Development
The Project
The Rainforest Community Project brings together hundreds of local families and small-scale concession
holders which harvest Brazil nuts in the Peruvian Amazon. Through investment from the project, thesenuts can be sustainably harvested, processed and sold directly to international export markets for the firsttime. The project provides a viable alternative to deforestation in providing sustainably generated income
for local communities.
Experience in past decades shows that better access increases deforestation for agriculture and illegallogging. This project comprises of two forestry concessions that are managed in line with Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) guidelines. The concessions stretch over 100,000 hectares covered by dense rainforest.
Effective surveillance of this area to prevent illegal dwelling and destructive forest use is only possible withthe support of carbon certificate revenues.

By supporting this project you’ll
contribute to the following Sustainable
Development Goals:

Dedicated, Naturally.

Green Energy, Climate Neutral, Water

While focusing on reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
all our projects also generate multiple co-benefits.
These are supportive of the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals.

Clean water and sanitation

Decent work and economic growth

Responsible consumption and production

Climate action

The protected area is a main water collector of thedrainage systems within the region. The preservationof the natural cycles is therefore of major importancefor the preservation of local water resources. Forest
protection also improves local soil and water quality
by avoiding soil degradation and reducing erosion.

The project enables small local farmers to sustainably cultivate, harvest and process brazil nuts. Additionally, they get easy access to international markets
where they can sell their final product.

Life on land

The natural rainforests in the Amazon region are an
extremely bio-diverse habitat and home to many
endangered species. They are also a very importantsource for food and building materials, and provide
combustible wood.

The project creates new income opportunities for thepeople living in the project area. Sustainable forest
management and the protection and surveillance ofthe project area are reliable sources of income for local communities.

The project reduces the emission levels of greenhouse gases. Furthermore, by allowing the forest
to recover, trees are able to absorb CO2 emissions,further reducing levels within the atmosphere.

Green Energy, Climate Neutral, Water

Dedicated, Naturally.

Technology brief – how it works
Carbon circulates within a cycle, consisting of the atmosphere, the plant, plant litter and the soil. Carbon
dioxide drawn from the surrounding atmosphere is the main input of any plant’s photosynthesis processes. The outputs are water, oxygen and carbohydrates. The latter are built into the plant’s fiber thereby
fixing carbon in the plant‘s biomass. Ultimately, the carbon re-enters the atmosphere from decaying
biomass litter or soil respiration.
Deforestation breaks this cycle with multi-fold negative effects. First, burning biomass directly increases
the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Secondly, it reduces the biosphere’s absolute capacity
to fix carbon. Thirdly, the removal of plant cover accelerates the rate at which carbon fixed in soils is
respired into the atmosphere. Lastly, the erosion of soils impedes the long-term recovery of vegetation
on degraded areas. This is a particularly challenging issue in tropical climates where soils are mostly poorin nutrients.

Project Standard

First Climate Markets AGIndustriestr. 1061118 Bad Vilbel - Frankfurt/Main
Germany
Phone: +49 6101 556 58 0
E-Mail: cn@firstclimate.com

The Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) is a global standard for the validation and verification of voluntary carbon emission reductions. Emissions
reductions from VCS projects have to be real, measurable, permanent,additional, unique, transparent, and third-party verified. Assessed against the background of the total volume of emission reductions, VCS is the globally leading standard for voluntary carbon offsets.
The Climate, Community & Biodiversity (CCB) Standards were laun-

For more information on otherprojects in our portfolio please
visit our website:www.firstclimate.com

ched in 2005 to foster development of, and investment in, site-based
projects that deliver credible and significant climate, community and biodiversity benefits in an integrated, sustainable manner.
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