Low biodiversity affects carbon credit projects – 03/02/2024 – Environment

An analysis of more than 200 tree-planting projects to generate carbon credits around the world showed that the vast majority have low biodiversity. Only 12% of them plant ten native species or more, while 32% use exclusively exotic species.

The study points out that the limited variety of native species may not guarantee the recovery of ecosystems and, consequently, be less effective in combating climate change.

The research was carried out by the English NGO Social Carbon Foundation, which develops certification methodologies for carbon offsetting projects with a social focus, in partnership with the Eco+ Foundation, an entity maintained by the German chemical company Basf that provides consultancy on forestry practices in South America. .

The two institutions analyzed reforestation and recovery projects for degraded areas (known by the acronym in English ARR) certified and registered by international organizations since 1999 around the globe.

The objective of this type of initiative is to increase carbon stocks in biomass and, in some cases, in the soil through the planting of trees — which absorb CO_two through photosynthesis and store it in branches, trunk and leaves.

“The analysis identified the need to review the type of ARR project eligible for carbon certification,” the document says. “A significant portion of projects plant non-native species, employ logging and do not monitor co-benefits. These projects provide limited benefits to biodiversity.”

The researchers classified the projects into three groups: native, mixed and exotic species.

In the first case, a variety of species that are naturally found in that region are planted, maximizing the restoration potential. Mixed-species projects often combine trees with agricultural crops. Exotic projects plant non-native species for commercial use, including monocultures.

“We realized that, even though there has been an increase in projects of this type in recent years, this expansion may have occurred at the cost of a lower biodiversity wealth”, says biologist Tiago Egydio, manager of the Eco+ Foundation.

“If you are going to carry out a forest restoration action, you can even use non-native species to compose your planting, but you need to choose very precisely which species it is and how much space it will occupy in a given time” , he explains.

“[A espécie] can strategically shade an area, but after a cycle of five to ten years, it fulfills that function and the slightly slower growing species that were below begin to gain strength and structure themselves within a native forest ecosystem of long term.”

A common trend was the prevalence of projects that cultivate fast-growing species such as eucalyptus and teak. “Where these species are native, such as in Oceania, it may appear that projects are applying a native ARR approach, when in fact they are often commercial logging plantations,” the report highlights.

Even among projects classified as native species, only 18% are planting ten or more species and 57% are planting four or less. According to the study, the ideal is for at least half of the reforestation and restoration projects in the world to have more than ten native species.

The researchers point out that the results indicate a flaw in the current market for offsetting greenhouse gas emissions. “Projects may be selecting native species based on their carbon capture potential and not designing ARR projects from an ecosystem health perspective”, says the text.

Agronomist Divaldo Rezende, president of Social Carbon in Brazil, explains that, in practice, carbon credits from more complex projects, focused on restoration, can be more expensive, but they are also more reliable in terms of their effectiveness and have benefits that range in addition to CO capture_two.

“Today the main buyers of carbon credits do not want those that come from a monoculture, because monoculture can generate additional risks, including reputational ones”, he states. “Whereas when you have restoration projects or use of native species, you are creating or reinforcing a certain ecosystem, strengthening biodiversity, water and even social inclusion.”

He also highlights that the advantages of the bioeconomy are associated precisely with areas where native species are planted, which may have, for example, bioactive compounds, vegetable oils and other value-added products that go beyond wood extraction.

The research shows that logging is predominant and is present in 48% of the projects analyzed.

The practice occurs in 90% of projects based on exotic species, which are normally associated with traditional companies in the timber industry for which carbon credits serve as an additional source of revenue.

On the other hand, only 15% of projects based on native species adopt this measure. “Instead, they prioritize increasing biodiversity and can incorporate activities such as fruit harvesting and other forest uses,” says the study.

Wood extraction is present in 52% of the mixed species projects analyzed, which probably occurs because native and exotic species of commercial interest are planted to supplement the project’s income.

Asia and Latin America represent the largest proportion of ARR projects globally, with China leading the way, with 57 of the cases analyzed.

Globally, on average, 44% of projects are based on native species, followed closely by exotic projects, which represent 32%.

However, these indices are heavily influenced by the Chinese, who have a strong emphasis on restoration with native species. However, even though 93% of the cases analyzed in the Asian country apply this approach, the average is less than four native species per project.

Excluding China from the analysis, the results are quite different: only 25% of projects focus on native species, while exotic and mixed-species plantations represent 42% and 33% of the total, respectively.

In Brazil, 12 projects were analyzed, and the average was just over 24 species per project. However, the rate is skewed by a single project in São Paulo that is cultivating 150 different species.