Carbon Livelihoods Programme

The Carbon Livelihoods Credit

The production of carbon credits provides the backbone of Envirotrade’s revenue stream and operational infrastructure. Envirotrade has developed a unique social-forestry model that addresses the challenges of climate change, sustainable livelihoods and poverty in sub-Saharan Africa called the Carbon Livelihoods Programme. Using this model, Envirotrade produces Verified Emission Reductions (VER’s) credits from Land Use and Land Use Change (LULUCF) activities for sale in the voluntary carbon market.

Envirotrade is creating a unique brand, The Carbon Livelihoods Credit, that brings together social and financial benefits to African forest communities and leverages its three core competencies:

• The creation of VER and in the future CER credits, via forestry, renewable energy and green-house gas mitigation in African communities.
• Operational expertise in project management in Africa that provides an infrastructure/administrative platform for Envirotrade, as well other businesses and NGO’s that want to access communities involved in the Carbon Livelihoods programme.
• Specialised expertise drawing on a pool of talent in Africa with unique skills that allows Envirotrade to work in partnership with local communities.

In building a unique brand, Envirotrade is creating an identity that differentiates it in the market and sets it apart from the competition. This identity appeals to customers looking to invest in more than just a carbon credit.

Envirotrade is seeking to grow the scope and reputation of the Carbon Livelihoods Credit such that it not only continues to command a premium price in the market but also becomes a household, name in the carbon markets and thus attracts clients because of all of the additional features and benefits that it provides to both the customer and the communities in which it works. As Envirotrade scales across Africa and eventually into Asia and Latin America, the brand will be synonymous with high quality innovative carbon credits, community development, poverty alleviation and sustainable economies. It is Envirotrade’s aspiration to make the Carbon Livelihood’s Credit a global model for innovative social enterprise and developed/developing world partnership.

The Carbon Livelihoods Trust

The Mozambique Carbon Livelihoods Trust that administers the revenues earned from carbon trading that is destined for payment on site is a new structure that is constantly evolving and developing as new human capital and resources become available. Its composition and capacity are evolving as capacity and expertise in a new and innovative sphere of activity for Mozambique become available. It is a structure that will in time become fully operational, and fulfils an invaluable role in safeguarding the interests of the producers. Envirotrade is represented on the Trust as a stakeholder and investor in the project and will continue to be so along with the other stakeholders and independent people. The Trust is not contracted to monitor the carbon sequestered on individual plots and fulfils no certification or validation role in the process whatsoever. Monitoring is done in terms of protocols by the employees of Envirotrade Mozambique Limitada in Mozambique (a non-profit entity) with the supervision of the University and ECCM, and is subject to review and oversight by the Plan Vivo Foundation. The MCLT operates an escrow account that holds in trust the percentage of money earned by the community and individual farmers for future payments as well as money for the operations of Envirotrade Mozambique Limitada to support the activities necessary for the activities of the project and ensures that these funds are secure for the future. The Trust is administered by a private firm of accountants in Mozambique.