Carbon Project Development
Ostrom Climate is committed to driving global climate action through the development and management of innovative and high-quality carbon projects, with a focus on Nature-Based Solutions. Our mission centers on implementing robust solutions that substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions while fostering sustainable development.
We are strategically targeting growth through our focused approach in the carbon project sector. By leveraging our expertise in high-impact carbon projects such as Improved Forest Management, forest carbon, blue carbon, and Climate-Smart Agriculture, we aim to scale our ownership and involvement in carbon project development. Ostrom Climate is focused on high-quality carbon project development because we believe high-quality carbon credits are demanded by the largest final emitter buyers of carbon and therefore should yield strong and stable pricing. Carbon project development is also integral to upholding our company’s purpose of implementing real and effective solutions in response to the twin crises of climate change and environmental degradation.
Climate-Smart Agriculture
One of our focuses within the carbon project development space is on Climate-Smart Agriculture, as evidenced by our flagship project in the Philippines. In collaboration with the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), a government-owned and controlled corporation primarily responsible for irrigation development and management in the Philippines, we have launched the Upper Pampanga River Climate-Smart Agriculture Rice Project (UPRIIS). UPRIIS is set to transform rice cultivation across approximately 100,000 hectares in Central Luzon, Philippines, by utilizing Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) techniques. Rice is a staple food in the Philippines, crucial for national food security as it forms the main diet for the majority of the population.
To learn more about the UPRIIS project, please visit the project page.
Alternate Wetting and Drying
Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) is a Climate-Smart Agriculture technique that impacts efforts to mitigate climate change within the rice cultivation sector, a notable source of global methane emissions. AWD modifies traditional irrigation practices by intermittently drying rice fields instead of maintaining continuous flooding. This shift reduces the anaerobic decomposition that typically occurs in flooded soils, cutting methane emissions by up to 48% per hectare. The adoption of AWD worldwide could substantially decrease the agriculture sector’s contribution to global methane emissions, estimated to constitute 10-12% of the total. This method not only aligns with sustainable water management practices but also supports global climate goals by integrating agricultural productivity with effective greenhouse gas mitigation, marking a critical advancement in Climate-Smart Agriculture.
The implementation of AWD practices and related technology aligns with the country’s goals to enhance rice production efficiency while ensuring sustainability through reduced water usage and lower greenhouse gas emissions. This approach supports the broader objective of achieving resilience and food security in the face of climate change.
Improved Forest Management
Ostrom Climate brings extensive experience and expertise in developing Improved Forest Management (IFM) carbon projects, particularly within Canada.
IFM projects enhance land management practices to increase carbon storage and enable forests to sequester more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These projects may involve a variety of methods, such as complete forest protection, extended age rotations, selective harvesting, and other strategies that promote forest health and maximize carbon storage across the landscape.
Since it’s early stages, Ostrom Climate has been engaged in the development of the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project. As an IFM initiative, this project focuses on increasing carbon stocks by transitioning areas previously designated or approved for commercial logging into protected forests through changes in land-use legislation and regulations. By preventing emissions associated with logging, road construction, and other forestry operations, this project stands as a landmark in balancing human well-being and ecological integrity through carbon finance. Notably, it is the first carbon project in North America established on Traditional Territory with unextinguished Aboriginal Rights and Title.
To learn more about the Great Bear Forest Carbon project, please visit the project page.
If you would like to talk about project opportunities or would like to learn more, please contact our Carbon Project Development team.