Profit obtained by preservation in the Amazon
By avoiding deforestation, Juma Sustainable Development Reserve Project provides infra-structure such as education and technology
Source: 1
(15/01/2009 / )
By avoiding deforestation, Juma Sustainable Development Reserve Project provides infra-structure such as education and technology
Written by Herton Escobar Published in Estado de S.Paulo newspaper on December 7th 2008
Elementary school teacher Deise dos Santos Buzaglo, 29 anos, used the Internet for the first time last month. Surprinsinly, the connection´s origin was in a very unusual place: a recent built classroom right in the middle of the Amazon Rain Forest, more precisely, in the Sustainable Development Reserve of Juma, located at the municipality of Novo Aripuanã.
In that afternoon, she was hipnotized by the 42 inches LCD monitor. "What would you like to learn about the Internet", I asked. "Everything that is possible", she replied.
An excited group of kids around watched the entire process of connection with the same amazed expression. Suddenly, the look at the TV and there it was: someone waving back through Skype from Manaus (exactly 230 quilometers away from where they are). For most of them, Internet was an unknown issue. Global Warming, for that community was also a subject totally out of their reality. Interesting to observe that it´s actually because of climate changes that, nowadays, they have this technology around.
While important scientists are, by this moment, dealing with the climate future of the Planet, in Poznan, Poland, the children of Juma enjoy themselves at the playground built through an agreement of carbon credits. The only obligation is to compromise themselves not to chop down any more tree in that protected area. Through that attitude million of ton of carbon dioxide shall not be released into the atmosphere.
According to the Amazonas Sustainable Foundation (FAS), that is the first certified project of Reducing Green House Gas Emissions from Avoided Deforestation (REDD), one of the crucial aspects of the negotiations concerning the updated Kyoto Protocol, to be signed by the year 2012.
The history´s Project started with the Forest Allowance Program in 2007. Originally developed by the Amazonas State Government, its objective is to provide a better life quality and assistance for those compromised in not destroying the forest. Through that deal, they expect to save an area of 366 hectares. That´s the equivalent of avoiding releasing around 210 milion of ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by the year 2050. All methodology for these calculations were validated by the German auditor, following the international standards of Climate Community and Biodiversity Alliance.
Interested in joining the REDD Project, International Marriott Hotel agreed on investing U$ 2 milion for the next four years. That money will be used for infra-structure inside the Reserve (such as the School where Deise works at), in a way that their life quality will be improved. As a return, Marriott International will have privileges at the carbon credits purchase. Apart from that, the Global Hotel Company will stimulate their guests to donate U$ 1 dollar per night to compensate their emissions while staying at one of the hotels around the world. Having 500 rooms around the world, the hotel chain expects to raise U$ 400 thousand a day.
