Reasons for Wild Hope, September 2024
Wildlife Works
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Welcome to Wildlife Works' monthly newsletter; Reasons for Wild Hope. This month, we're excited to share inspiring conservation stories from around the world, our team's presence at upcoming conferences, and key updates from the voluntary carbon market.
In August, the effects of the climate crisis were especially felt throughout the world, with unprecedented heatwaves and catastrophic floods becoming more frequent. These phenomena can understandably lead to feelings of eco-anxiety and climate grief. And it’s not just our shared environment that seems to be collapsing; Mary Evelyn Tucker, a scholar at Yale, argues that we find ourselves in a polycrisis of politics, economy and environment, all ultimately driven by a culture of hyper-individualism. She discusses how it's crucial that we explore innovative approaches to reimagining our communities and reconnecting with the world around us, and that spiritual ecology plays a significant role in this regenerative process. As philosopher Carol Wayne White suggests, “Ecology and spirituality are never divorced from each other. Because even human bodies are ecosystems. Everything can be part of this living entity that we’re calling Earth, and all of the entities within it.” Learn more about why the world needs spiritual ecology here.
While the challenges we face are significant, planting seeds of hope is critical for imagining a better tomorrow. Reasons for wild hope from this past month include: Indigenous efforts in Guyana are successfully protecting the rare red siskin bird and the United Nation’s top court has set a trial date to legally define countries' climate obligations. Additionally, new research suggests trees absorb more methane (a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide) than previously thought, which highlights the importance of forest conservation in combating climate change. Protecting forests is also critical for stopping the spillover of zoonotic diseases, such as mpox, which are once again taking lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
USING CARBON REVENUE TO FIGHT MPOX
The World Health Organization has once again declared mpox, formerly known as monkey pox, a public health emergency of international concern. Last year, more than 14,600 suspected cases of mpox, including 654 deaths, were recorded in the DRC. Mai Ndombe was one of the hardest hit provinces in the country. Thanks to funding from carbon credits, the Mai Ndombe REDD+ project was able to rapidly provide nearly 5 tons of medicine, personal protective equipment and other healthcare items. With these resources, in tandem with the tireless efforts of the project's doctor, Dr. Christian Ntoko, many lives were able to be saved.
Learn more about this effort in this blog, and learn about how communities have used carbon revenue to build a health clinic in our short film, The Good Doctor.
WILDLIFE WORKS AT CLIMATE WEEK NYC
Wildlife Works team members Mike Korchinsky, JR Bwangoy Bankanza, and Jeremy Freund are headed to Climate Week NYC to discuss innovative solutions to the climate crisis. Mike Korchinsky will be speaking at a panel titled, "New forest carbon standards and monitoring technologies - solutions out of the VCM crisis?
?? Date: Tuesday 24 Sept
? Time: 07:30 - 09:30 am
??Location: Westin Times Square, Room Ambassador II
RSVP HERE: https://lu.ma/mwdfwqoh
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If you would like to arrange meetings with any of our team members at Climate Week NYC, please contact us.
EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Our global conservation work would not be possible without the dedication, expertise, and passion of our team members. Each month, get to know our team members and what they do through our Employee Spotlight Series.
In this month's spotlight meet Yvonne Githiora, Wildlife Works Conservation Research Scientist, who will be speaking at the DAAD (German Academic Exchange) Global Centres in person conference on Tuesday September 10th.
The working table will focus on collaborative conservation knowledge for effective, just and inclusive environmental interventions. Get to know Yvonne and her path to becoming a conservation scientist in our latest employee spotlight.
KEY VOLUNTARY CARBON MARKET UPDATES
While negative articles about the voluntary carbon market persist, the recent Wall Street Journal article was an important reminder on why it's important to read past the headlines. Despite the article's misleading title, it concludes with, "the original concept behind offsets remains a promising one. Preventing deforestation is a much cheaper way of cutting carbon emissions than, say, overhauling industrial processes that need more time and research to decarbonize."
The Brazilian forestry engineer Janaía Dallan agrees with this sentiment in her recent Op-Ed, “It would be irresponsible to give up on REDD+.” To Janaía, "REDD+ projects exist because of a sad pressing reality: governments have not been able to enforce laws to protect forests, which are shrinking at a frightening rate. No initiative other than REDD+ brings income, support and real changes in their lives that serve as an incentive for them to protect the forests."
A new report from the World Bank further argues that carbon markets could be a game changer in advancing climate action, and are primed for growth, with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement allowing countries to trade credits to reach their Nationally Determined Contributions. To date, the World Bank has supported 47 countries in the development of REDD+ projects under its Forest Carbon Partnership Facility, and says that just 15 of those countries are expected to generate $3 billion from credits by 2028. The carbon market has also gotten a boost of support from tech behemoth Meta, which in its latest Sustainability Report vowed to continue expanding voluntary carbon markets through investments in nature-based carbon removal solutions, and also by supporting carbon markets with technological contributions such as remote sensing for monitoring and verifying forest carbon stocks.'"
While Global South leaders make it clear that the carbon market has demonstrated tangible, positive impacts for their communities, there's still ongoing debate about how companies should utilize their purchased carbon credits. Addressing this issue, researchers from the University of Oxford and the Exponential Roadmap Initiative have proposed a novel approach to offset claims. Their framework suggests companies set targets and track progress across three "spheres of influence": "product power," "purchasing power," and "political power." This multifaceted approach aims to ensure more comprehensive and meaningful corporate climate action beyond carbon offsetting. By considering a company's influence on its products, supply chain, and policy landscape, this model encourages businesses to leverage their full potential for driving systemic change in the fight against climate change.
As theoretical frameworks evolve, real-world changes to how offsets are used are already emerging. The Paris Olympic Games recently exemplified an approach to carbon markets that is likely to become more common – prioritizing internal emission reductions, followed by the strategic use of carbon credits to address remaining emissions. The Games implemented measures aimed at reducing their carbon footprint to approximately half that of previous pre-COVID Olympics. To offset the remaining Scope 1-3 emissions, they purchased around 1.5 million tonnes CO2 equivalent in carbon credits. This approach not only demonstrates a commitment to reducing emissions at the source but also highlights the continued relevance of carbon markets, particularly REDD+ projects, in comprehensive climate strategies. By balancing internal reductions with carefully selected offsets, the Paris Olympics has set a precedent for large-scale events and organizations looking to minimize their environmental impact while supporting vital conservation efforts in the Global South.