Zambia’s Luambe National Park is now the world’s most carbon neutral national park, according to a recent report by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The announcement, which comes one and a half years after Lower Zambezi National Park, also in Zambia, led the world in attaining carbon neutrality, underpins Zambia’s commitment to offsetting carbon emissions.
According to BioCarbon Partners (BCP), which has partnered with USAID-funded Community Forests Program (CFP) and the Zambian government to implement conservation programs in Luambe, the new carbon neutral status is an indication that the level of emissions within the park has reduced significantly.
“Luambe National Park’s carbon neutral status sets a great example for other protected areas in Zambia. This status shows the world that Zambia takes emissions reduction seriously,” said USAID/Zambia Economic Development Office Director Jeremy Boley in a statement.
Setting Standards
Using locally purchased Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and investing in green energy sources with its own funds, Luambe Camp has been auditing forest carbon offsets generated within Zambia since June this year.
The Camp’s objective is to set new standards in environmental stewardship and sustainability, with its management ensuring that the revenue generated through REDD+ offset sales is reinvested into conservation and creation of buffer zones around national parks across Zambia.
“We’re passionate environmentalists and it is important to the whole Luambe Camp team that we can offer our guests a truly eco-friendly experience,” said Mario Voss, the Director of Luambe Camp.
Recent studies have shown that Africa is likely to bear the greatest brunt of climate change, with the continent’s few remaining biodiversity strongholds now under serious threat. The onus is now on African leaders to formulate workable solutions to these challenges and ensure potential damages are reversed immediately.
Luambe National Park is located in Eastern Province at the core of Luangwa Valley, which is a major tributary of the popular Zambezi River – the fourth-longest river in Africa.
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