WASHINGTON, DC – 17 May 2022 | The Natural Climate Solutions Alliance (NCSA) today designated six forest carbon projects as “Lighthouses”, so named because they “shine a light” on the potential of investments in nature.
Verra is proud to announce that all six Lighthouses were certified by Verra:
- Katingan Peatland Restoration and Conservation Project (Indonesia);
- Luangwa Community Forests Project (Zambia);
- Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project (Democratic Republic the Congo);
- REDD+ Project for Caribbean Guatemala: The Conservation Coast (Guatemala);
- Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve project (Indonesia); and
- Sumatra Merang Peatland Project (Indonesia).
To hear their stories, you can watch the sessions:
Webinar 1: Luangwa, Sumatra Merang & Katingan Mentaya
Webinar 2: Conservation Coast, Mai Ndombe & Rimba Raya
All six projects were certified in Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program and Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS) Program. The Rimba Raya project was also certified in Verra’s Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Program. (Read factsheets about each of the Lighthouses.)
The NCSA was convened by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to scale up affordable natural climate mitigation solutions for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change. These include reforestation, forest protection, and conservation, coastal wetland and peatland restoration, livestock, animal and land management, and other cost-effective solutions.
The projects have met the NCSA’s rigorous screening criteria and effectively demonstrate the impact resulting from investments in nature. They advance urgently needed climate action, while successfully conserving biodiversity and supporting local communities.
“We are honored that the NCSA has recognized these projects and the people behind them. These projects have worked diligently to comply with the rules and requirements of our programs and are powerful examples of how to advance climate action and sustainable development.” —David Antonioli, CEO, Verra.
The 17 May virtual launch events hosted by the NCSA featured the people who are pioneering these innovative solutions. They shared their visions, the challenges they had to overcome, and the myriad benefits that generating high-quality carbon credits has brought to local communities, from enabling a midwife to travel to remote villages, to providing scholarships for girls, to funding an orangutan orphanage.
The NCSA is planning a second set of Lighthouses and will soon open a call for submissions. For more information contact Daisy Hessenberger.
In the coming weeks, we will feature interviews with people impacted by these projects on our website.
For more information, please contact:
Steve Zwick, Senior Manager, Media Relations, Verra, szwick@verra.org [Chicago]
Anne Thiel, Senior Manager, Communications, Verra, athiel@verra.org [Washington DC]
Daisy Hessenberger, Natural Climate Solutions Associate, WBCSD, hessenberger@wbcsd.org [Switzerland]
###
Verra is a nonprofit organization that operates the world’s leading carbon crediting program, the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program, as well as other standards in environmental and social markets. Verra is committed to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve livelihoods, and protect natural resources by working with the private and public sectors. We support climate action and sustainable development with standards, tools, and programs that credibly, transparently, and robustly assess environmental and social impacts and enable funding for sustaining and scaling up projects that verifiably deliver these benefits.