Michigan State University scientists combine carbon markets and tree-planting for poverty reduction. Called Carbon2Markets, the program combines sustainable forest production with emerging carbon markets in an effort to help some of the world’s poorest people grow trees that will boost their standards of living as well as help slow climate change.

MSU researchers work on collaborative projects with farmers, researchers, and government agencies in five developing Asian and African countries.

They help the farmer groups integrate high-value forest crops, like Jatropha or shea, into crops they are already planting using methods that are smart and sustainable.

“We have an exciting opportunity to leverage the growing carbon financial market in the United States and Europe to assist poor farmers in developing countries,” said David Skole, MSU forestry professor and leader of the Carbon2Markets projects. “The farmers can plant trees or participate in other vegetation regeneration projects and earn money, which can stimulate economic development in their communities, increase rural income and promote natural resource conservation.”

The farmers use standards created by the MSU experts to accurately measure and record the carbon stored in the soil to gain credits on the global carbon markets for storing the carbon. Joining carbon markets with sustainable forest production is said to be unique to the MSU Carbon2Markets projects.

According to Skole, a small farmer in Thailand who planted trees on about three acres (one hectare) would earn about $40 per year from the carbon market at current prices. With a 25-acre (10-hectare) plot, that farmer could earn up to $400 a year.

Sponsors for the project include the United Nations, NASA, World Wildlife Fund, Asia-Pacific Forum for Environment and Development, and other organizations.


-  Katrice R. Jalbuena

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Sources:

¹ http://news.msu.edu/index.php
² http://news.msu.edu/story/6515/
³ http://www.carbon2markets.org