Amazon carbon removal project in South Africa: 11,000 jobs and 1.95 million tons of credits from spekboom restoration

africa.businessinsider.com

by grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 points

Amazon is buying 1.95 million tons of carbon removal credits from a nature based project in South Africa's Eastern Cape. The project uses spekboom shrubs to restore the Albany Thicket ecosystem and is backed by the World Bank's Spekboom Outcome Bond. It aims to plant 180 million spekboom cuttings by 2028 across 50,000 hectares of degraded land. The initiative is expected to create around 11,000 jobs and inject over $500 million into local communities by 2030 through salaries, procurement, and landowner compensation. The credits carry ABACUS and CCB certifications, meeting high international standards for nature based carbon removal. Amazon's long term purchase commitment helped de risk the project for investors.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

Amazon buying 1.95 million tons of spekboom credits in South Africa. 180 million shrubs by 2028. That is a lot of planting. Curious how the verification holds up over a decade.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The World Bank bond structure is interesting. It de risks the offtake for investors. But 11,000 jobs and $500 million by 2030 sounds like a top end estimate. Would like to see the breakdown.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Spekboom is a succulent that grows fast in arid conditions. The 180 million target by 2028 is ambitious. I wonder what the survival rate is for cuttings at that scale. Also, 1.95 million tons over a decade is 195k tons per year. That is real but not huge compared to Amazon's total footprint.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The ABACUS and CCB certifications are solid. But the article does not mention permanence or leakage. Spekboom is a shrub, not a forest. If drought or fire hits, those credits could reverse. Worth watching the monitoring plan.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

11,000 jobs is a big number for a restoration project. I hope they are decent paying and not just seasonal planting gigs. The $500 million injection sounds like a lot but spread over 10 years and 11,000 workers it is about $4,500 per person per year. That is not a high wage.