VEDA Climate Change Solutions Ltd

Afforestation and Reforestation projects have been traditionally shaping the concept of carbon offsets and are considered to be largely representative of the “offsetting” in the eyes of the public. However, the history of AR projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has been embroiled under various challenges and the most prominent among them being the issue of ‘land eligibility’.

In this context, Socio-eCO2NOmix-Global in association with VEDA Climate Change Solutions Ltd(VCCSL) which has developed and implementing the UNFCCC registered A/R CDM Project ‘Improving Rural Livelihoods through Carbon Sequestration by Adopting Environment Friendly Technology based Agroforestry Practices’ has organised an international workshop to determine the land eligibility for project development under Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of UNFCCC and Voluntary Carbon Standards (VCS) on Thursday, August 11^th 2011.

The discussion was led by Dr.Krygier, Professor of Geography and Mr.Andrew Meyer, Economics Professor at Ohio Wesleyan University, USA and Ms. Amy Work, GIS Specialist, Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology (IAGT), NY,USA. The participants included representatives from the National Remote Sensing Centre(NRSC), Geographic Information System (GIS) specialists, The World Bank, Rabo Foundation, RBS Foundation, Andhra University, Geographic Information (GIS) Specialists, representatives from industry, government and non-governmental organisations.

The information pertaining to the project that has been developed and operationalised by Veda Climate Change Solutions Ltd (VCCSL) has been presented by Mr. Sai Kishore, Executive Director, VCCSL. Later, Mr. Sriharsha, Executive Associate, Socio-eCO2NOmix-Global, presented the activities that are planned to be undertaken through the enviro-social enterprise ‘Socio-eCO2NOmix-Global’ for replication and scaling up of the model that has been conceptualised by VCCSL.

This was followed by presentations by various GIS specialists to assess the methods that can be deployed for identifying the eligible lands through the use of geospatial technologies. The various methods of land eligibility were debated and the advantages vis-a-vis cost effectiveness, availability of raw data, time constraints were identified and the constraints like non-availability of base-line data, non-availability of ownership records for small land pockets has been discussed.

Mr. Ranjan Samantaray from the World Bank commended the activities and also indicated that they were looking to partner with projects aimed at improving the livelihoods of poor and marginal farmers. Mr. Ranjan Samantaray also highlighted the Social Credits which adds a different dimension to the already existing Carbon Credits. This would bring the corporate world through the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the broader challenge of addressing the climate change mitigation activities.

VCCSL organized a National Workshop on “Exploring Opportunities for Creating Carbon Revenues in Rural and Allied Sectors” at MANAGE, RajendranagaHyderabad on 11-8-2007 with the aim to identify opportunities for generating additional income for rural communities through CDM and other Carbon Markets.

The Workshop was inaugurated by the Director General, National Institute for Rural Development, Hyderabad and attended by more than 30 senior scientists, administrators and NGO partners representing various institutions / NGOs such ICRISAT, NAARM, NABARD, NAIP, NIRD,NDRI, WASSAN, CSA involved in agricultural and rural development sectors from all over the country.

The objectives of the workshop

• Identification of pilot CDM projects for all types of agricultural and allied activities
• Developing methodologies suitable to Indian context
• Identification of funding sources for development and implementation of these projects
• To build the capacity of the nation by developing talented man power pool in this sector

Based on the recommendation of the National Workshop, apart from Afforestation/Reforestation sector, following pilots are identified for creating critical mass of CDM projects for rural and allied sectors:

• Reduction of methane in ruminant animals
• Collection of methane from poultry waste
• Getting CDM revenue to the farmers from Jatropha and other bio-fuel tress such as Pongamia and Neem (as against CDM revenue going to the processors of bio-fuel who may or may not pass on to the farmers)
• Soil carbon improvement through Zero tillage farming, Organic farming etc
• Less water intensive cultivation of paddy
• Watershed catchment area protection: Plantation activity in catchment area of watershed and developing carbon revenues for their maintenance(16 districts of AP where WASAAN has an ongoing watershed programme can be considered initially)
• A CDM project for fodder development on grass lands (reclamation or development)
• NPM and IPM
• Initiatives for maintaining soil fertility
• Oil palm (For the Fruit Bunch and for the waste produced during the extraction of oil)
• CDM project can be developed for the biogas produced from animal waste
• Lac cultivation, meat waste from slaughter house, waste from marine animal cultivation may be eligible for CDM pilots.

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To build the capacity of rural communities in general and farmers in particular to understand and appreciate the impact of climate change on their lives and also to make them aware of the new opportunities in carbon finance business, VEDA organized many Workshops in Orissa and Andhra Pradesh. More than 6000 resource poor farmers enthusiastically participated in these workshops and expressed their willingness to be part of programmes and projects formulated to benefit from carbon trading.

It also organised seminars and brainstorming sessions to improve the awareness of government and non governmental organizations.

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