We are excited to announce the first charity we have supported this month via Ecologi, a platform that enables individuals and businesses to take climate action by funding verified carbon reduction projects around the world, is to support the conservation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. This project aims to protect and restore the largest tropical forest on Earth.

The Amazon is not only a natural wonder but also a vital ally in the fight against climate change. It stores an enormous amount of carbon in its biomass and soil, preventing it from being released into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases. It also absorbs and sequesters more carbon than it emits, making it a net carbon sink, and accounts for 25% of the world’s terrestrial carbon sequestration.

The Amazon Rainforest is also home to an incredible diversity of life, hosting 10% of the world’s known species of plants, animals, and insects. Many of these species are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on the planet. The Amazon Rainforest also supports the livelihoods and cultures of millions of indigenous and local people, who depend on its resources and services for food, water, medicine, and shelter.

Unfortunately, the Amazon is under severe threat from human activities, especially deforestation and forest degradation. These activities are driven by the expansion of agriculture, cattle ranching, logging, mining, and infrastructure development. Between 2007 and 2016, deforestation and forest degradation were responsible for 23% of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and 63% of Brazil’s national emissions in 2015.

Deforestation and forest degradation not only release carbon into the atmosphere but also reduce the forest’s capacity to absorb and store it. They also fragment and degrade the forest’s structure and function, affecting its biodiversity, water cycle, and climate regulation. Moreover, they expose the forest to further threats, such as fires, droughts, pests, and diseases.

To address these challenges, this month we will support the Fazenda Manoa project. The project is located in Rondônia, a state in southern Brazil that has experienced high rates of deforestation. The project covers an area of 22,000 hectares, of which 18,000 hectares are primary forest and 4,000 hectares are secondary forest.

The project’s main goal is to conserve and manage the forest sustainably, avoiding deforestation and forest degradation, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The project also aims to promote social well-being and biodiversity conservation, by providing environmental education, research and monitoring, and sustainable forest management practices to the local communities and stakeholders.

The project was established in 2013 and has a 30-year crediting period. It is verified by the Verified Carbon Standard and the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standards. It is also part of the Compromisso com o Clima platform, an initiative of Instituto Ekos Brasil that connects carbon buyers and sellers in Brazil.

By supporting this project, we are contributing to the protection of one of the most important ecosystems in the world, and one of the most effective solutions to climate change. For each hectare of forest protected, we are avoiding the emissions that would result from deforestation and forest degradation, and preserving the carbon that is stored in the forest.

By protecting an additional 335-466 million hectares of forest globally, we could avoid carbon dioxide emissions totalling 5.5-8.8 gigatons by 2050. That is equivalent to taking 1.2-1.9 billion cars off the road for a year. Furthermore, we could secure an estimated protected stock of 179-203 gigatons of carbon, which is roughly equivalent to over 655-743 gigatons of carbon dioxide if released into the atmosphere.

By protecting the rainforest, we are also protecting its biodiversity, ecosystem services, and social benefits. We are helping to conserve over 780 species of fauna that live in the project area, many of which are endangered or vulnerable. We are also supporting the provision of non-timber products, erosion control, pollination, ecotourism, and other ecosystem services that benefit the local and global communities 🌎

Every month, alongside planting one tree for each order received, Xander Kostroma supports 2 new projects that help combat climate change. Feel safe and shop in the comfort and knowledge that by ordering via the Xander Kostroma website, your purchase directly funds essential, planet-saving projects both in the UK and globally.

Check out our Ecologi profile to view all the projects sales from our crystal jewellery have funded.

Thanks for your support!
Love,

Xander & Co.