Projects

These are the climate projects PolarQuest is supporting.

Kariba REDD+ Forest Protection, Zimbabwe

Since the world’s largest REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) project launched in 2011, more than 18 million tonnes of CO2 have been prevented by June 2016.

The project has also created a better way of life for local farmers and communities now and in the future.

Zimbabwe has been torn apart by war, civil unrest, economic collapse and population growth. Over the past twenty years desperate communities have delved deeper into the forests, clearing for farming and fuel for their rudimentary homes. More than a third of Zimbabwe’s majestic forests are now gone. The project ensures that 785,000 hectares of forest and wildlife on the southern shores of Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba are now being protected.

Beyond saving the environment, a range of activities support the independence of local communities. Agricultural workshops, low-emission brick-making, establishing fast-growing fuel-wood plantations, and ecotourism provide employment and protect endemic wildlife including endangered Black Rhinos.
 

Godawari Green Energy, solar thermal power, India

India is the world’s second largest country by population, beaten only by China – and it is rapidly catching up. As its developing economy strengthens further and rapid population growth continues, India’s energy needs are rising. While the share of renewables in India’s energy mix is growing, coal still accounts for over half of its electricity production.

Located in Jaisalmer District in North India’s Rajasthan State, this large-scale solar thermal power project helps satiate India’s growing energy demands. The 50 MW-capacity solar thermal plant uses parabolic trough technology to generate almost 119,000 MWh of clean energy for the Combined Regional Grid annually, further diversifying India’s electricity mix away from fossil fuels.

On top of supplanting fossil fuels with clean electricity to reduce emissions, the project proponent commits 2% of Carbon Emission Reduction (CER) sales to community welfare and sustainable development projects. The social benefits of this include local employment opportunities that alleviate regional poverty, as well as better roads and improved basic infrastructure. The project also contributes to the transfer of environmentally sound, state-of-the-art thermal solar power generation technology in India, and encourages further investment in the renewables industry.