Antananarivo, Madagascar, December 12, 2024 - Today’s signing ceremony is a milestone for the conservation of the Makira Natural Park's exceptional biodiversity and support for local communities. The signing ceremony of the commercialization contract, the emissions reductions purchase agreement and the agreement relating to the management of the Makira Community Carbon Fund testifies to the commitment of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Makira Carbon Company (MCC) and Everland to jointly promote nature-based solutions, to increase climate resilience, conserve biodiversity and create sustainable benefits for communities. The development of these agreements, as well as the technical and conservation work required to develop these agreements and complete the emissions and verification processes described, is made possible by the Rio Tinto Nature Solutions commitment announced at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. This $16 million commitment to Makira Natural Park will generate significant revenues from carbon credit sales, with 50% of net revenues from future sales unlocked through these agreements earmarked for community support.
Context: A pioneering and emblematic project for Madagascar's forests
Makira Natural Park, renowned for its exceptional biodiversity, is one of Madagascar's largest tropical forests, covering 372,470 hectares of dense primary forest in the northeast. More than 90,000 people living in 120 villages depend directly on Makira for their livelihoods.
Launched in 2005, the Makira Natural Park REDD+ project is the world's longest-running project validated by the international Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCBs). It generated 1.8 million tonnes of carbon credits between 2005 and 2013, while reducing the rate of deforestation thanks to the involvement of local communities.
A commitment to tangible benefits for biodiversity and communities
The signing of these agreements will re-launch the marketing of carbon credits generated by the REDD+ project from 2005 to 2013, establish a new reference scenario and validate and verify credits for the period 2014 to March 2020. Once promoted on the voluntary carbon market, the revenues generated willsupport the development of local communities benefiting from the Makira Community Carbon Fund, preserve Makira's unique forest and biodiversity, and strengthen Madagascar's climate resilience.
The signing ceremony will take place at the MEDD office in Antsahavola on December 12, 2024, in the presence of the Minister of the Environment and Sustainable Development and his team, including BNCC-REDD+ and key partners of the Makira Natural Park REDD+ project.
Max Andonirina Fontaine, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Government of the Republic of Madagascar said: ‘The signing of these agreements marks a significant step forward in securing long-term, sustainable funding for the protection of Madagascar's threatened forests and biodiversity, while providing vital funding to support communities in and around the Makira Natural Park.’
Joshua Tosteson, Chief Executive Officer, Everland said, ‘Everland is proud to strengthen our partnership with the Government of Madagascar and WCS, and to reaffirm our support for the Makira Natural Park REDD+ Project. Building on Rio Tinto’s landmark commitment, the agreements signed today are a vital step in providing the long-term funding the project needs to conserve one of the world’s most important and threatened forest ecosystems, while directly empowering the local communities.’
Lovy Rasolofomanana, Country Director, WCS Madagascar said: ‘We welcome the Malagasy Government's continued commitment to securing funding and supporting nature-based solutions in Madagascar. The Makira Natural Park is an area of global and national importance, and WCS is proud to have supported its protection for 31 years. Through these agreements, we hope to continue to bring benefits to forests, biodiversity and local communities for many years to come.’
About MEDD
The mission of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development is to ensure the protection and promotion of the environment, while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. It is also responsible for implementing environmental programs in line with the State's General Policy.
It is entrusted with a wide range of responsibilities, in line with current environmental challenges: protection and management of natural resources, environmental studies, preservation of biodiversity, combating climate change, waste and pollution management.
As a cross-disciplinary field, the environment evolves in line with realities, requiring constant adaptation on the part of populations. To protect and manage protected areas and natural resources, and to organize their use with a view to sustainability, the Ministry is committed to preserving Madagascar's flora and fauna, while taking concrete action in the environmental sector.
About Everland
Everland is a specialised conservation marketing organisation in the climate change mitigation business that exclusively represents the Voluntary Carbon Market's largest portfolio of high-impact, community-centered, forest conservation (REDD+) projects. Through these projects, Everland brings together communities and corporations in common cause to protect some of the world’s most important and vulnerable forests.
About WCS
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is an American non-governmental organization founded in 1895. Its mission is to safeguard the world's wild species and places through science, conservation, public education and the encouragement of respect for nature.
Present in Madagascar since 1993 to ensure the long-term conservation of the country's unique biodiversity, our interventions focus on holistic site-based conservation, applied research, the creation and management of conservation areas, community conservation and institutional support.
WCS works mainly in three landscapes: the Makira-Masoala-Antongil Bay- MaMaBay landscape, a land and seascape in the north-east of Madagascar; in the south-western seascape, in and around the Soariake Protected Area, and in the north-western seascape in the Ankivonjy Protected Area, the Ankarea Protected Area, the future Tandavandriva Protected Area and around Nosy Be.
Press contact
Lanto Andriamampianina, Director of Conservation, lanto@wcs.org
Hajannie Razafimandimby, Manager of Communications, hrazafimandimby@wcs.org