Paris, the 16 january 2012
For the fourth consecutive year, Crédit Agricole S.A. will
offset the 2,655 tonnes of CO2 emissions generated by its
operations in the Greater Paris area. Their incompressible
greenhouse gas emissions(1) will be offset by purchasing
2,655 Verified Emission Reductions (VERs)(2) issued under
the Kasigau Corridor REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from
Deforestation and Degradation) project in Kenya. Voted by
Crédit Agricole S.A. Group employees, this project has been
verified and validated to the internationally recognised
Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). It has also been approved
by The CarbonNeutral Company, an expert in carbon
strategy.
Crédit Agricole S.A. takes a pro-active approach enabling
the Group to reduce its ecological footprint, contribute to
the economic and social development of an emerging country
and promote more environmentally friendly techniques.
An innovative choice: the Kasigau Corridor REDD+
project.
The Kasigau Corridor programme is the first REDD+ project
to gain VCS validation for its carbon credits. The REDD+
method is a programme to reduce emissions from
deforestation and forest degradation in developing
countries. It aims to reduce CO2 emissions by protecting
natural carbon sinks that, in the absence of the project,
would have been deforested and/or degraded for subsistence
agriculture, typically using slash and burn techniques to
grow maize. It takes account of the forest's carbon storage
capacity as well as good forestry governance and planning
practices whilst respecting the rights of the indigenous
populations and members of the local communities. The
Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project also helps protect
biodiversity and ecosystemic services.
In addition, Kenya's Kasigau Corridor is one of
Conservation International's Global Hotspots. Conservation
International is a not-for-profit organisation that aims to
preserve areas with especially high numbers of endemic
species, yet facing extreme threats. In addition to a range
of plant species, the Kasigau Corridor is also home to
several mammal species that are considered endangered,
vulnerable or threatened.
An additional activity of the project is a three year
reforestation project on the slopes of Mount Kasigau by
planting 20,000 indigenous hardwood trees and establishing
organic greenhouses and nurseries. In addition, it provides
the local population with:
• fuelwood from sustainably managed
greenhouses;
• construction of 18 classrooms ;
• a bursary scheme that has already
helped dozens of children through secondary and higher
education;
• new jobs thanks to the construction of
an eco factory and agroforestry training.
(1) Emissions from energy consumed by computer equipment
and heating systems.
(2) The VERs used by Crédit Agricole are carbon credits
issued for projects certified to both VCS and CCB (Climate
Community and Biodiversity) standards.
