Carbon Bank and Village Development Project

Trading high quality carbon credits while improving environmental conditions and increasing employment, revenue and CO2 capture
Biodiversity
Thailand

The Carbon Bank and Village Development Project (VDP) enable successful climate change adaptation, local socio-economic development, and biodiversity conservation in rural Thailand. Since 2005, the initiative has encouraged, supported and enhanced community-based indigenous forestry through carbon offsets. Trees planted in the project community forests generate carbon credits which are sold to local, national and international businesses and individuals. Businesses and individuals increasingly purchase carbon credits to offset emissions and the project’s innovative product provides more value for today’s demanding market since it combines village development with market-based carbon trading.

By the end of 2011, the project aims to establish 48 village projects. The scale up will foster a sustainable financial mechanisms for carbon credit payments which in turn will provide funds to implement community-wide infrastructure improvements and support village micro-credit saving and loan schemes.

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
The project increases indigenous forest cover, establishes sustainable financial mechanisms for carbon credit payments and improves environmental conditions.
  • Supporting community-based indigenous forestry and increasing forestry.
  • Strengthening village development committees, empowering women and youth in the tree planting and maintenance process.

 

  • Increasing indigenous forest cover; restoring degraded land in rural communities. 
  • Sequestering CO2 emissions through locally-owned and protected carbon sinks. 
  • Improving environmental conditions such as soil water retention and climate change adaptability potential.
  • Establishing sustainable financial mechanisms for carbon credit payments which in turn provide funds to implement community-wide infrastructure improvements.
  • Supporting village micro-credit saving and loan schemes.

 

Partners

This innovative initiative of national NGOs and an academic institution aims to encourage, support and enhance community-based indigenous forestry through carbon credit trading to enable successful climate change adaptation and socioeconomic development for local communities and biodiversity conservation

The Plant a Tree Today Foundation (PATT) manages the overall initiative and promotes environmental and climate change awareness at the community level.

The Population and Community DevelopmentAssociation (PDA) manages the microfinance aspect of the project; and consults with the local communities.

The Forest Restoration Research Unit (FORRU) provides technical advice; assists with forest-restoration and management; and ensures abiologically diverse forest.