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Democratic Republic of the Congo | Build Connectivity for Endangered Wildlife in the Congo Rainforest
Estimated acres to protect: 316,294 Estimated CO 2 equivalents safeguarded: 76.5 million metric tons
The Congo Basin rainforest is the last major tropical forest that absorbs more carbon than it emits through deforestation, making it a carbon sink and its protection essential to slowing climate change. When we protect acres here, we not only safeguard the carbon already stored in the soil and trees, we also ensure that the forest will continue to store more carbon in the years to come.
Since 2014, we have been working with local partners to protect millions of acres of tropical rainforest in the Congo Basin. Now, we and our local partner— Réseau pour la Conservation et la Réhabilitation des Ecosystèmes Forestiers— seek to protect an additional 316,294 acres. This will safeguard more than 76.5 million metric tons of CO 2 equivalents, which is equal to the annual electricity use of 15.9 million US homes. With your support, we can ensure these acres are protected for the animals and people that rely upon them.
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Indonesia | Safeguard Spectacular Biodiversity in Crown Jewel of Papua
Estimated acres to protect: 120,000 Estimated CO 2 equivalents safeguarded: 50.4 million metric tons
As the third largest rainforest in the world, the forest that covers the island of New Guinea stores vast quantities of carbon and is home to thousands of species, including the Critically Endangered Western Long-beaked Echidna, the Endangered Spectacled Flying Fox, several species of tree kangaroo, and all three species of cassowary.
Within this vast rainforest lies an incredible 5.9-million acre region where 93 % of the primary forest remains intact, presenting a rare and valuable opportunity to protect a rainforest before habitat destruction is widespread. But deforestation for oil palm plantations, logging, and mining is now threatening this largely untouched region, making its protection a priority. Working together— and with your support— we and partner EcoNusa seek to protect 120,000 acres of rainforest here, safeguarding an estimated 50.4 million metric tons of CO 2 equivalents, which is equal to the annual electricity use of 10.5 million US homes.
Understanding CO 2 Equivalents
Carbon dioxide is the best-known of the greenhouse gases, but it is not the only gas that contributes to global climate change. Methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases— such as hydrofluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride— also trap heat when released into the atmosphere. To simplify things, we refer to all of these gases together as carbon dioxide( CO 2) equivalents, converting their combined impact as separate greenhouse gases to their equivalent as carbon dioxide alone.
For example, when we protect an acre of tropical rainforest, we simultaneously safeguard any carbon, stored within living and dead trees and other vegetation found there, as well as within the soil itself, which often stores great quantities of carbon. If this land were to burn or be deforested, this carbon would be released into the atmosphere as CO 2.
What exactly is the impact of these CO 2 equivalents?
It can be challenging to understand something we can’ t even see. One million metric tons of CO 2 equivalents sounds like a lot. But how much is it really?
One million metric tons of CO 2 equivalents is the same as:
• 112.5 million gallons of gasoline consumed
• 208,396 homes * electricity use for one year
• 1,110,814,897 pounds of coal burned
To offset this carbon use, we would need to plant 16,535,086 tree seedlings and allow them to grow for 10 years.
Or, we can protect the trees that are already growing, halting deforestation before it has the chance to release CO 2 into the atmosphere.
* Based on the average annual electricity use for homes in the United States of America above Okapi | Jiri Hrebicek Western-crowned Pigeon | Ondreji Prosicky
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