Certified CO2 offsetting via Bamboo Village

To achieve the climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement, companies must strive to reduce their CO2 emissions. Reducing CO2 emissions cannot usually be achieved overnight. To take immediate action against climate change, greenhouse gases can be actively removed from the atmosphere. The Open Natural Carbon Removal Accounting (ONCRA) initiative is dedicated to this cause. ONCRA has now officially recognized and certified Bamboo Village as a project that successfully removes CO2 from the atmosphere. As a result, Bamboo Village can now offer certified CO2 offsets and help companies become climate-neutral or even climate-positive.

The ONCRA-certified Bamboo Village plantation is located in Uganda, about 150 kilometers northwest of the capital, Kampala. The bamboo plantation is maintained with the help of local residents, providing employment at the local level. At the same time, bamboo has a positive effect on the climate. Bamboo is native to Uganda and grows rapidly. It has the ability to absorb CO2 quickly. Bamboo Village does not use pesticides, performs maintenance largely by hand, and uses the river on its own land. Biodiversity on the plantation is also a top priority. The plantation is not clear-cut to preserve ground-covering vegetation, and the swamp area on the plantation is also being preserved on their own initiative.

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Strict certification method

The CO2 certificate that Bamboo Village has received from ONCRA is only awarded to projects that actually store and remove carbon from the atmosphere. ONCRA uses a strict certification method. This includes looking at the growth and CO2 absorption of the bamboo, potential harvest, storage of CO2 in the soil, and in the harvested material. A risk percentage has also been taken into account. An explanation of the full calculation can be found on this page.

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Climate-neutral or climate-positive

When companies calculate the CO2 emissions of their activities and products, reduce them to the absolute minimum, and fully offset them, they can be considered climate-neutral. If companies go beyond offsetting and compensate for even more emissions than they produce, they can even be considered climate-positive. Bamboo Village offers certificates and logos for both scenarios.

It is important to note that these claims should only be made when they are based on the actual life-cycle impact of the company or product, and not solely on offsetting emissions outside the company's value chain. If companies promote their contributions to environmental initiatives, such as carbon credit projects, it is important to do so accurately. If offsetting is part of their strategy, it is important to state this clearly in their communications, for example: "climate neutrality achieved through offsetting".

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Proud of recognition

Greenhouse Sustainability, which offers CO2 offsetting via Bamboo Village: “With the certification, Bamboo Village has launched the new website bamboovillage.world, where both companies and individuals can calculate and offset their own CO2 emissions. We are very proud that the Bamboo Village plantation in Uganda has been officially certified by ONCRA for removing CO2 from the atmosphere. Companies that have questions about the certification or are curious about what we can do for their CO2 emissions are, of course, welcome to contact us.”