Author: Dev Carbon

About IPÊ

IPÊ – Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas is a Brazilian non-profit organization that works to conserve the country’s biodiversity through science, education and sustainable business. Founded in 1992, it is headquartered in Nazaré Paulista (São Paulo), where its education center, ESCAS – Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade, is also located. For IPÊ, biodiversity conservation is central to socio-economic transformation and tackling climate challenges.

Present in the Atlantic Forest, Amazon, Pantanal and Cerrado biomes, it carries out around 30 projects a year. The Institute has created a conservation model that is a benchmark in socio-environmental conservation, involving scientific research into species, environmental education, community involvement and mobilization, habitat and landscape conservation and support for the construction of public policies.

IPÊ is responsible for planting more than 7 million trees in the Atlantic Forest, contributes directly to the conservation of six species of fauna and carries out environmental education and training for an average of 15,000 people a year. The projects benefit more than 200 families with sustainable actions, knowledge about socio-environmental conservation and income generation. To develop its socio-environmental projects, the organization relies on partners from all sectors and works as an articulator on fronts that promote engagement and mutual strengthening between socio-environmental organizations, private initiative and government institutions.

To find out more:
^{ipe.org.br / @institutoipe} 

Research carried out by the journal Nature Communications shows that the world’s population prefers to adopt Nature-based Solutions in order to sequester Greenhouse Gases (GHG) from the atmosphere.

A Recent study published by the journal Nature Communications has revealed a worldwide trend regarding the public’s preferences for solutions to combat climate change. Carried out in 22 countries, both developed and developing, and covering various regions, the study highlights the urgency perceived by the population in tackling this global challenge. Among the countries analyzed, Brazil, the United States, China and Germany stand out.

The research presented five carbon sequestration techniques: reforestation; soil management; Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage (DACCS); Enhanced Weathering (EWR); and Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BEECS).

Among the tools evaluated for capturing CO2 in the atmosphere, Nature-based Solutions, such as reforestation and restoration of degraded areas (ARR), emerged as the most preferred by the public in all research groups.

These techniques not only capture carbon, but also offer additional benefits, such as the preservation of biodiversity, the socio-economic development of local communities and the strengthening of the resilience and adaptive capacity of natural ecosystems.

In addition, respondents said that another great advantage of Nature-based Solutions is that these techniques foster environmental education, resulting in individuals who were previously vectors of deforestation, such as some rural landowners, becoming engaged and understanding the importance of reforestation and the restoration of degraded areas for the improvement of local ecosystems and, consequently, becoming more deeply engaged in restoration activities.

The survey also showed that, in countries with tropical forests, participants linked afforestation and reforestation efforts to prohibiting or discouraging deforestation, even though this practice reduces rather than removes carbon. In other words, several participants stressed the importance of multiple forest protection systems for mitigating climate change.

At Ambipar, we share this vision and believe that conserving and restoring forests is the most appropriate way to overcome the global climate crisis. Trees are our oldest technology for playing a crucial role in carbon sequestration, acting as guardians of the climate balance. Through photosynthesis, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, converting it into oxygen and storing the carbon in their biomass and in the soil.

This process, in addition to mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases, also contributes to maintaining biodiversity, the health of terrestrial ecosystems and the maintenance of the natural water cycle. Thus, preserving and expanding forests is fundamental to meeting global climate challenges.

That’s why we’re developing the Corridors for Life ARR Project with the Institute of Ecological Research – IPÊ, which aims not only to capture carbon, but also to restore ecosystems, conserve biodiversity and promote sustainable socio-economic development through job creation, training and empowerment of local communities.

Results of the Corridors for Life ARR Project

To date, the project has planted an impressive total of 2,688,986 seedlings of more than 100 species of trees native to the Atlantic Forest, covering 1,501 hectares of degraded areas and making a significant contribution to preserving biodiversity in one of the world’s most threatened biomes. In monitoring the project areas, 174 species of trees, 166 birds and 27 mammals have already been identified.

In the social sphere, all this work is responsible for fostering 10 community nurseries, 11 restoration service companies and two IPÊ teams, generating employment and income for 188 people, including 53 women and 54 young people, thus strengthening local economies. In addition, through training and community empowerment activities, the project indirectly benefits a further 492 people.

But the numbers go further. The Corridors for Life ARR Project has the potential to sequester an impressive 29 million tons of CO2e over 50 years by restoring 75,000 hectares of degraded and priority areas for landscape conservation in Pontal do Paranapanema, a region located in the far west of the state of São Paulo. In addition, the project promotes environmental education, research and scientific development activities and encourages the development of new local companies in the restoration chain, contributing to the sustainable development of communities.

Validated by Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) standards, the project guarantees its compliance with the strict criteria of the certification standards, reinforcing its credibility and transparency. By getting involved with the Corridors for Life ARR Project, you not only become part of a vital initiative to combat climate change, but also contribute to building a more sustainable and resilient future for all.

Annie Groth
Head of Advocacy & Engagement
Ambipar

Talk to our team and learn more about our NbS (Nature-based Solutions)
projects and find out how you too can make a difference in the fight against climate change.

Dear friends, partners, and clients,

As we wrap up another year of hard work, we want to share with you our joy and pride for everything we have achieved together. 2023 represented a unique moment to rethink key aspects of the voluntary carbon market, in which there was a true “separation of the wheat from the chaff” aimed at consolidating carbon projects with high socio-environmental integrity.

Resilience was the keyword for this year, but also represented a window of opportunity so that we can begin 2024 stronger and continue to join forces to improve the integrity, quality, trust and scale of Nature-Based Solutions.

In Brazil, the three branches of government joined forces to strengthen the fight against climate change, and we have never been so close to establishing a Brazilian Emissions Trading System (ETS)

At the Legislative level, our Chamber of Deputies approved Bill No. 2,148/2015, which creates a Brazilian ETS. The advancement of this bill is a remarkable achievement for the decarbonization of the country’s economy and strengthens the voluntary market, as there will be interoperability between the two mechanisms. We have developed an analysis on the topic, which can be accessed through this link.

Law No. 14,590/2023 was also sanctioned. It corrects a historic obstacle in the national legislation on Forestry Concessions, now allowing the development of carbon projects in those areas. Ambipar has been actively working with the Ministry of the Environment and the Brazilian National Development Bank to assist in regulating the law, preparing feasibility models and scenarios aiming to substantially leverage forestry concessions in Brazil.

At the Executive level, Ambipar obtained a seat on the National Commission for REDD+ (Conaredd+), representing the private sector. Representing this chair means receiving recognition for the technical expertise and engagement of Ambipar in the area of Nature-Based Solutions.

Globally, the main entities and stakeholders of the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) have joined forces to improve integrity, trust, and scale, reflecting a positive perspective regarding the future of this climate financing mechanism.

At COP28, which took place in Dubai, we participated in several discussions and were able to interact with our international partners. We have seen global consensus on the importance of carbon markets for decarbonization and climate change mitigation. As an example, we cite the speech of the President of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, about the importance of these mechanisms and their connection with the protection of Biodiversity. We also developed a bulletin with news on the VCM during COP28, which can be accessed through this link.

Additionally, in a historic announcement supported by the COP28 Presidency, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), the Voluntary Carbon Markets Initiative (VCMI), the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Market (ICVCM), GHG Protocol and the We Mean Business Coalition (WMB) announced that they will join forces to establish an integrity manual that provides scientifically based methodologies for the decarbonization of production processes and the use of voluntary carbon credits to offset residual emissions. We recommend the following video, released by the entities, explaining the urgency of financing forest conservation and restoration.

On the supply side of the VCM, we watched the world’s largest certifiers, such as Verra, American Carbon Registry (ACR), Architecture for REDD+ Transactions (ART), Climate Action Reserve, Global Carbon Council and Gold Standard, announce that they will work together to establish common principles related to quantifying, verifying and maintaining carbon emissions reductions and removals in their respective methodologies. The partnership aims to ensure that each of these certifiers is aligned with the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs), a set of parameters developed to identify high-integrity voluntary carbon credits.

Besides the national and international advances in the VCM, we highlight the following market milestones in 2023

Verra, certifier of all Ambipar projects, published a consolidated methodology for forest conservation projects involving unplanned deforestation (REDD+ AUD). The new methodology aims to harmonize project baselines, providing a greater environmental integrity of these carbon credits.

After seven years, Ecosystem Marketplace updated its analysis of how companies that buy carbon credits work vs. those who do not use this strategy. The study, carried out with more than 7,000 companies, identified that, on average, companies that are part of the voluntary market invest three times more in emission reduction activities than companies that do not. In other words, the study combats the misunderstanding that companies that buy carbon credits do not have broad decarbonization strategies.

The involvement of companies with the voluntary carbon market in 2023 was also notable, even in a challenging year. According to data from Verra, the volume of carbon credits from forest conservation projects (REDD+) retired in 2023 exceeded the volume retired in the same period of the previous year by 70%, reaching 46 million tCO2e. Total retirements at Verra, considering all types of projects, reached the level of 104 million tons, the same volume observed in the equivalent period of 2022.

Internally, we maintained our focus on ensuring forest conservation and restoration projects of high quality and integrity. With a team of more than 70 people with a high technical level, we conducted 10 validations/verifications, developed six new projects, consolidated intelligence in projects focused on sustainable soil management in agriculture and livestock and in Blue Carbon, and implemented new seals and co-benefits certifications. We also innovated the financing model in ecological restoration areas, through the investment of USD 60 million in the forest restoration of the Atlantic Forest Biome within the scope of the Corridors for Life ARR Project, in partnership with AstraZeneca. Finally, we are increasingly integrated into the Ambipar Group, taking advantage of all the synergy and thousands of customers around the world to provide decarbonization solutions. We could not be on a more powerful platform to achieve our mission.

All our achievements were only possible due to the support and trust of our customers and partners, who believe in the need to significantly increase financing for forest conservation and the reforestation and restoration of degraded areas in Brazil.

In 2024, keep counting on Ambipar for a more sustainable future.

On behalf of our entire team, I wish you an extraordinary and prosperous 2024.
With kind regards

Plínio Ribeiro
Board Member of Ambipar

For the first time, Ambipar is awarded the prize for “Best Individual Offsetting Project”

São Paulo, September 26th, 2022 – Ambipar won an Environmental Finance Award for the fifth time. In this edition, the company was awarded for the first time in the category “Best Individual Offsetting Project” for its Corridors for Life AR Project, developed in partnership with IPÊ (the Institute for Ecological Research), a Brazilian socio-environmental organization that has developed projects since 1992 for the conservation of the Atlantic Forest. In the four previous editions, Ambipar received awards in the “Best Project Developer, Forest and Land use” category in 2015, 2018, 2019 and 2020. This year, it came in second place.

The winning project is part of a new phase of the Corridors for Life Project, created and implemented by IPÊ in 2002 in the Pontal do Paranapanema, extreme west of the state of São Paulo, in the Atlantic Forest biome. IPÊ’s work is an initiative supported by three pillars: climate, community and biodiversity, with national and international recognition. This forest restoration work has as its starting point the “Dream Map of Pontal do Paranapanema,” created through IPÊ’s expertise, which defined the priority areas for reforestation in western São Paulo in seven municipalities.

“It is with great joy that we once again receive the Environmental Finance Award. We have won four other awards, and this time we won with one of our important projects, the Corridors for Life AR Project. In this case, besides the climate and biodiversity component, this project promotes several benefits to the community, mainly through environmental education activities, from the implementation of courses and incentives to the establishment of forest seedlings nurseries, which makes us very proud of the work we have done together with our partners”, celebrates Plínio Ribeiro, Board Member of Ambipar.

“We are very happy with the award dedicated to the project. The partnership with Ambipar is very relevant for us to scale up our carbon mitigation and socioenvironmental impact in the Pontal do Paranapanema. This year alone, forest restoration has guaranteed 250 jobs in the region. Many people find in this activity a chance to generate income for their families – from those who work in IPÊ’s nurseries to the companies that execute the plantations accompanied by our technical team. An award is always a great recognition, but also a great responsibility to do more and better for the Atlantic Forest and Brazilian biodiversity, which is IPÊ’s mission”, says Dr. Laury Cullen Jr, coordinator of the Corridors for Life Project at IPÊ.

The partnership with Ambipar from 2021 onwards

In 2021, IPÊ expanded its reforestation actions through a partnership with Ambipar, creating together the Corridors for Life AR Project and directing efforts towards the generation of carbon credits to be certified by the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) standard, of Verra. By restoring the Atlantic Forest in the Pontal do Paranapanema region through the planting of seedlings, enrichment, or regeneration of areas, the project contributes to the conversion of 75,000 hectares of areas of environmental liabilities on private properties into restored areas with about 150 million new tree seedlings.

With the adhesion of the carbon component, the priority areas of the “Dream Map” were expanded from 7 to 30 municipalities. The Corridors for Life AR Project has already restored 500 hectares since December 2021, which is equivalent to approximately 1 million Atlantic Forest tree seedlings, and will implement another 1,250 hectares by the end of 2023, totaling 1,750 hectares in two years of operation. The expectation is to attract companies interested in buying the carbon removal credits.

Dr. Laury Cullen highlights: “The forest restoration work that IPÊ carries out together with partners has the CCB – Climate, Community and Biodiversity – as a tripod. I emphasize that in the Climate sphere, forests remove carbon, which contributes to mitigate the effects of climate change. Regarding Community, the generation of employment is notable in local communities, generating an increase in income. As for Biodiversity, forest restoration and landscape management contribute to the conservation of flora and fauna, and thus to the entire biodiversity”. The black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus), an endangered species and the focus of IPÊ’s project, is also among the species benefited by the restoration actions.

About Ambipar Carbon Solutions

Founded in 2008, Ambipar’s mission is to be the world’s leading company in Nature-Based Solutions (NbS). Since 2021, we have been part of Ambipar, within the Carbon Solutions business unit.

Our goal is to create value in the environmental assets market, combat climate change, protect biodiversity, and promote social well-being and development.

We believe that Nature-Based Solutions are essential for humanity to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement and overcome the climate crisis. It is estimated that by 2030, between 35% and 50% of emission reductions should come exclusively from these solutions.

We develop projects that promote emission reductions through forest conservation, in addition to capturing carbon through reforestation.

About IPÊ

IPÊ – Ecological Research Institute – is a Brazilian non-profit organization that works for the conservation of biodiversity in the country through science, education and sustainable business. Founded in 1992, it has its headquarters in Nazaré Paulista (São Paulo), where its education center, ESCAS – Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade, is also located.

Present in the Atlantic Forest, Amazon, Pantanal and Cerrado biomes, the Institute carries out around 30 projects a year, applying the IPÊ Conservation Model, which involves scientific research on species, environmental education, community involvement and mobilization, habitat and landscape conservation, and support for the construction of public policies. In addition to local projects, the Institute also implements work in several regions, following the themes Protected Areas, Urban Areas and Research & Development (Natural Capital and Biodiversity).

www.ipe.org.br

About Ambipar

With its administrative office in São Paulo and head office in Nova Odessa – SP, Ambipar is a Brazilian multinational with a presence in 16 countries in South America, Europe, Africa, North America and Antarctica. Formed by Ambipar Environment and Ambipar Response, two segments of reference in the environmental management market, it has in its DNA the commitment to sustainable issues, working the ESG Pillars within its business and supporting its clients.