REDD Carbon Offset Project in Peru's Cordillera Azul National Park Earns Double Validation and Verification from SCS Global Services

EMERYVILLE, Calif., May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- A "Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD)" carbon offset project in Peru's Cordillera Azul National Park has earned independent validation under two internationally recognized standards based on assessments conducted by third-party verifier SCS Global Services.  The project, which will protect more than 1,300,000 hectares of tropical forests from deforestation, also achieved verification status under one of these standards.

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The validations, issued under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) Standard at the Gold level for Exceptional Biodiversity Benefits and under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), confirm that the carbon offset project as designed will successfully store carbon by curbing deforestation. The project was simultaneously verified under the VCS standard, proving that the project has been effectively implemented and can support carbon credits in the growing carbon market.  

The project is an innovative public-private partnership between the project proponent, Centro de Conservacion, Investigacion y Manejo de Areas Naturales – Cordillera Azul (CIMA) and the Peruvian park authority (SERNANP), which owns and has rights to the project land. CIMA is responsible for managing the national park and financing all activities. CIMA developed the REDD project with technical assistance from The Field Museum and TerraCarbon to obtain a sustainable source of funding for project activities aimed at preventing deforestation and improving local quality of life. The project has been launched in four central Peruvian departments: San Martin, Ucayali, Huanuco, and Loreto.

Drivers of deforestation in the region include a rapidly increasing immigrant population, commercial agricultural plantations, timber, and mineral and oil exploration and extraction. Besides protecting vast forested landscapes with extraordinary biodiversity and keeping ecosystem services intact, the carbon offset project also provides important benefits to the communities surrounding Cordillera Azul. The project developers work closely with local people to improve quality of life by providing environmental education, socio-economic benefits, and technical assistance for land-tenure issues.

"By earning third-party validation and verification, the project developers can ensure that the project will generate high quality carbon credits on the voluntary carbon market," said Dr. Robert J. Hrubes, Executive Vice President of SCS. According to Hrubes, the assessment process involved a site visit to the project area, interviews with community members and stakeholders, and evaluation of the project's management systems.

SCS Global Services (SCS) (formerly Scientific Certification Systems) has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for nearly 30 years. Its programs span a wide cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, retail, and more. SCS provides accredited services under a wide range of internationally recognized certification programs. SCS is a chartered benefit corporation and Certified B Corp™, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. www.SCSGlobalServices.com

Nick Kordesch
510-452-8035
[email protected]

SOURCE SCS Global Services