GuateCarbon aims to reduce emissions from deforestation in the biologically diverse Peten region of Guatemala. Based on the REDD+ framework, community concessions promote sustainable use of the forest. This pioneer pilot effort reduces carbon dioxide emissions while creating a new source of revenue for communities to invest in conservation and meet basic social needs.

Fast facts:

• 717,000 acres in project area;

• More than 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide reduced over 2012 and 2013;

• 56 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions aimed to be reduced over 30-year period;

• More than 3,000 producers directly benefited through technical, social, and financial assistance;

• Baseline methodology established to quantify amount of fixed carbon in forest, involving 4 years of scientific work and more than 10 organizations;

The problem

The extraction of wood and non-wood products from the forest in Peten Department, northern Guatemala, has underpinned the local economy for the last half-century. With two-thirds of Peten’s population living below the poverty line, communities extract forest resources to make ends meet. But increasing conversion of the forest for cattle grazing (often associated with money laundering from drug trafficking) and for oil palm, along with invasion for subsistence agriculture, has been accelerating deforestation. Other factors such as haphazard land settlement, smuggling of rare woods, changes in land use, and unsound forest management are combining to result in the loss of thousands of hectares of forest every year.

The solution

GuateCarbon pays local communities for environmental services. Under the scheme, communities are granted concessions in the multiple use zone of the Maya Biosphere Reserve – on land totally owned by the government – to manage the natural resources in the zone, and extract timber and non-timber forest resources under Forest Stewardship Council certification. Complementary environmental education builds awareness of the importance of forest conservation.

The project has included execution of a baseline study, creation of a legal entity to interface with the regulatory requirements, establishment of a comprehensive diagnosis for investment, and a project design document. The private sector has been engaged in identifying international market opportunities and providing technical consultancy. Non-governmental organizations have supported the program with technical consultancy for program monitoring and projection.
 

Helping the planet

Such managed and sustainable, low-impact activities put the brakes on deforestation, leaving more trees standing as carbon sinks and preventing further climate change. A community tourism program, along with formalizing other alternatives to forest exploitation based in sustainable production, reduces resource extraction pressures. Preserving the biologically diverse forest assures protection of numerous plant and animal species.

Helping people

Forest communities have found new sources of income from diversifying their means of livelihood, development of non-traditional products, and forest conservation activities. The improvement in living conditions and creation of additional jobs are allowing for community development.

Scaling up

This pioneer experience plans to be replicated in other Central American countries, and shared throughout Central America and the Caribbean. The participation of public and private sectors make this project adaptable to different scenarios worldwide. The program has also had political impact and caused topics related to forest and natural capital protection to be included on the national agenda. The project has also had a trigger effect, as it has attracted various alternative financing sources.

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