RE: ESG13 Mar 2023 13:39
Gabon is an 88% tropical rainforest nation. It cuts down very few trees. But the country also host an oil industry that makes up 60% of its economy. While those revenues have provided some cushion, they are a dwindling asset — a function of climate change and the demand for fossil fuels. Carbon credits are not a silver bullet. They are part of a broader mosaic that can spawn new opportunities.
“Half of our people are under the age of 20,” says Minister White. “We have 800,000 kids in school. We now have a total of 400,000 jobs. We need 500,000 new jobs. Without more jobs, we will have an entire generation of angry people. It’s a recipe for civil war. If the carbon credits generate at least $1 billion, we can build roads, railways, and a sustainable forestry economy.”
For example, Gabon bans the sale of unfinished wood to foreigners. Instead, it has built a high-end furniture industry and can get top dollar for the finished product. That means it does not have to cut down as many trees. Those left standing also have more value — nature’s way of absorbing CO2, otherwise known as carbon sinks. Meantime, the country can hire forest rangers and build up tourism.
Moreover, the forests have not just endured, but have also absorbed 1 billion tons of CO2 over eight years, allowing the natural habitat to survive: Gabon’s elephant population has risen from 60,000 to 95,000 since 2000 while neighboring Cameroon lost 90% of its elephants.