Ceará Renewable Energy Project, Brazil
Context
Based in a region prone to poverty and severe drought, this initiative tackles one of the major causes of deforestation in Brazil: illegal logging. The Ceará project has switched the fuel used by five ceramic factories from illegal firewood to agricultural and industrial residues. This biomass would have otherwise been discarded as waste, so the fuel switch not only transforms residues into something useful but also enables many local individuals to make a living – or complement their income – by supplying biomass waste directly to the factories.
Furthermore, the reduction in indoor air pollution from the switch has substantially improved working conditions for employees and the ceramic factories have adopted a system that reuses industrial wastewater. An especially significant step for a region afflicted by severe droughts.
Project
This project alleviates deforestation, avoids greenhouse gas emissions and promotes a more sustainable supply chain: It does this whilst also improving the livelihoods of local communities and employees. Making good better.
- Generation of income to local communities – so far USD 4,500,000;
- Improved working conditions to employees (219 employees);
- Increase of water availability to the community (the region is afflicted by severe droughts);
- Avoidance of deforestation – 1,750 ha of forest saved in the course of 10 years, the equivalent to 1400 soccer pitches;
- Avoidance of GHG emissions – 36173t of CO2e avoided per year.
Verification
This project is verified by the Gold Standard and is also a certified CCBS.
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UN Sustainable Development Goals
This project aligns with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Energy is central to nearly every major challenge and opportunity.
Climate change is a global challenge that affects everyone, everywhere.
Sustainable economic growth will require societies to create the conditions that allow people to have quality jobs.
Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss
Find out more about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals here.
