Rising Demand For Forest Carbon Offsets

At the end of 2013, 26.5m hectares of forest plantations were supported by carbon finance, according to NGO Forest Trends, with $212 million injected into the sector during the previous year. This represents growth of 9% y-o-y and is based on coverage of 162 projects across 58 countries. Part altruism, part commercial, this was financed by the sale of 28 million tons of carbon offsets.

A number of features make neem attractive for corporations or investors looking to set up plantations as a direct or offset method of GHG reduction. By sequestering atmospheric CO2 in photosynthesis, tree plantations provide a simple and effective natural ‘sink’ for manmade pollutant activities. This impressive carbon sequestering capability makes neem one of the most effective and important tree species in climate change.