CODE REDD Campaign Aims to Save the World's Threatened Forests
As corporations recognize their responsibility to do all they can to reduce their carbon footprint by lowering emissions and offsetting the rest, CODE REDD, an emergency action campaign to save the world's wild forests, aims to make it easy and compelling for corporations to pledge to buy REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) carbon offsets.
Wildlife Works, a REDD conservation development firm devoted to biodiversity, recently announced the launch of CODE REDD financed with the Voluntary Carbon Market.
The CODE REDD campaign will also ensure that those offsets are generated by specific high quality forest protection projects that have proven they can protect threatened forests while at the same time providing unprecedented sustainable development opportunities to local forest communities.
These Voluntary Market financial pledges will create demand and stimulate investment in new REDD projects while turning an emissions reduction liability into positive action. The companies making these pledges will be celebrated in the marketplace for their essential role in protecting the world's forests.
"The goal of the CODE REDD Campaign is to dramatically increase the demand for REDD project carbon offsets now. With increased demand, REDD can scale to overcome the massive threat to the world's forests and make a significant contribution to mitigating climate change," said Mike Korchinsky, Founder and CEO of Wildlife Works and the creator of the CODE REDD Campaign.
Wild forests are disappearing at the alarming rate of 13 million hectares per year (FAO 2010) and deforestation accounts for an estimated 17% of total annual global greenhouse gas emissions (UNIPCC 2007). The effects of deforestation are having devastating impacts on people and wildlife throughout the world and are threatening the resources humans need for survival. Climate change experts widely agree that climate stability cannot be achieved without the conservation of the world's remaining forests.
While the UN continues to work on the critical challenge of creating a broad climate change solution, the marketplace has been waiting for direction. Meanwhile forests are burning and forest communities need help now.
"Reducing your carbon footprint is not a UN obligation. It's a global responsibility. It is time for the private sector to show innovation and leadership and do something REDD," said Korchinsky.
Private sector organizations of all types looking to reduce their carbon footprint are invited to join the campaign as a CODE REDD member by making a specific pledge to buy REDD credits. Credible project developers are invited to join by pledging some or all of their VCS and CCB validated and verified carbon offsets to the Campaign. Anyone else is encouraged to become CODE REDD supporters by making a public statement of support for the campaign.