ARUSHA - A local company and indigenous community have helped to make the Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair 2013 the first travel industry fair in Africa to offset its unavoidable carbon emissions.
Partnering with Carbon Tanzania, Tanzania's first and only company dedicated to sourcing and developing community-based carbon forestry projects, the Karibu Travel and Tourism Fair is not only demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability, but also to social and community development. Karibu Fair is the leading travel trade event in East Africa.
"By supporting a local, community-based carbon forestry project, Karibu Fair issending a strong message to the tourism sector about the importance of contributing to long-lasting social and environmental initiatives," explains Marc Baker, Director of Carbon Tanzania. "The Tourism sector is dependent on a healthy and sustainable environment, and therefore has a role in ensuring it remains this way."
Emissions from the Fair's ground operations are being offset through carbon credits generated by "The Yaeda Valley REDD Project," which is an initiative designed and implemented between Carbon Tanzania and the Hadzabe hunter-gatherer community. This REDD (‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation') project is one of the first times an indigenous, forest-dependent community in Africa has been able to benefit economically and through enhancing land and natural resource rights and security, from the growing global carbon market.
The Hadzabe have lived in the Yaeda Valley for thousands of years. However, during the past 50 years they have been gradually displaced from this land, losing more than 90% of it to outsiders seeking land for grazing or farming. The project is helping the Hadzabe strengthen their rights to their land by supporting the community in enforcing its land use plans and village by-laws that are meant to safeguard their lands and natural resources from externalpressures. It is estimated that through such initiatives approximately 18,012 tonnes of carbon dioxideemissions will be avoided annually over the project's 20-year crediting period. The project has been validated by the Plan Vivo Standard, a leading carbon offset certification body based in the United Kingdom.
Offsets from this project are sold on the international market to clients who are interested in reducing their greenhouse gas footprints while also contributing to community development initiatives and biodiversity conservation efforts. Sales are expected to generate up to US $54,000 per year for the Hadzabe, which will be used for social developmentprojects decided upon by the communities themselves.
"Carbon Tanzania has been a key partner in helping tourism companies mitigate theircarbon emissions by channeling funds to locally appropriate projects," says Damien Bell, Executive Director of Responsible Tourism Tanzania. "These activities not only reduce carbon emissions but are also supporting the Hadzabe community and protecting key habitats and wildlife."
The Karibu Fair will be held in Arusha from May 31st to June 2nd.
Contact for Interviews
Marc Baker, info@carbontanzania.com, +255 (0) 784 448761
Jo Anderson, info@carbontanzania.com, +255 (0) 758 267205
Note to Editor:
This REDD project is being implemented by Carbon Tanzania. The Ujamaa Community Resource Team (UCRT) has co-facilitated the development of the project. UCRT is a leading community-based natural resource management organization in northern Tanzania. It has worked with the Hadzabe community of land rights and sustainable natural resource management for more than 15 years.
Other project partners that have provided financial and technical support include, The Dorobo Fund for Tanzania, The Nature Conservancy and Maliasili Initiatives.
To learn more about Carbon Tanzania and The Yaeda Valley REDD Project, visit: www.carbontanzania.com.