ACCELERATING
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH

The tropics, a region encircling the Earth's equator, have long been perceived as lush rainforests with exotic animals and unchanging weather. However, they are also often associated with poverty, unstable governments, and environmental destruction. A new report, "The State of the Tropics," provides a deeper and more nuanced understanding of this diverse region.

Changing Perceptions

Historically, the tropics were misunderstood, with Aristotle even claiming that no civilization could thrive there. The report calls for a shift in perspective, urging recognition of the tropics from within and embracing local wisdom and experience. Compiled by 12 institutions, this comprehensive 400-page report delves into demographics, health, science, economics, biodiversity, and climate change..

Population Growth

Currently, the tropics are home to 40% of the world's population and 55% of children under five. Population growth is particularly rapid in Africa. By 2050, over half of the global population and 67% of young children will reside in the tropics. The region is expected to add 3 billion people by the end of the century, necessitating a rethinking of global priorities in aid, development, research, and education.

Economic and Social Challenges

A booming population drives increased demand for food, water, and resources. Tropical economies are growing 20% faster than those in temperate regions but still house two-thirds of the world's extreme poverty. While extreme poverty has decreased in Southeast Asia and Central America, it has doubled in Central and Southern Africa since the 1980s. Despite these challenges, there have been improvements, including a decline in undernourishment, rising life expectancy, and reduced maternal and child mortality.

Health Issues

The tropics face unique health challenges, with diseases like dengue fever and malaria remaining significant threats. These diseases are rarely found in temperate regions but are major health concerns in tropical countries.

Land and Environmental Struggles

Growing populations and consumption have led to land-use clashes. Indigenous groups struggle to maintain control over their lands as corporations seek resources for agriculture, livestock, and commodities. Conservationists are working to preserve vital ecosystems, as the tropics host 80% of Earth's terrestrial biodiversity and 95% of mangrove and coral reef biodiversity. Unfortunately, forest loss continues, especially in Oceania.

Oceanic Pressures

Marine resources in the tropics, including coral reefs and mangroves, face unprecedented pressures. Overfishing and destructive practices have depleted species. Mangroves, crucial for coastal protection and carbon storage, are being rapidly destroyed for aquaculture and development. Climate change and ocean acidification further threaten these ecosystems.

Future Challenges

Climate change poses significant challenges for the tropics, including extreme weather, rising seas, and changing precipitation patterns. These changes could impact agriculture and increase the number of refugees and regional conflicts. The tropics are expanding into temperate zones, which will have implications for water resource management and agricultural systems.

Conclusion

The future of the tropics is one of rising influence and wealth, alongside ongoing struggles with poverty, hunger, health standards, biodiversity, climate change, and resource conservation. The report emphasizes the importance of sustainable development and conservation to safeguard resources for future generations. The tropics hold great potential and influence, making it crucial to address these challenges thoughtfully and effectively.

Humans don’t realize the importance of saving the environment unless the effects of their doings dawn upon them to destroy their existence; It's not all their fault because the average human life is 79 years (give or take) & earth is so vastly big that the effects of what humans do, don’t reflect until the generation which actively got involved to do it, gets wiped off the face of the earth in a natural biological life course. The next generation then again takes time to get acquainted with the fact that there are ill effects of what is being done.

Talking about the health of our mother earth; here are 5 shocking facts to put things into perspective:

1. Witnessing irreversible effects by 2030

If global warming goes above the recommended limit; more than 70% of Earth's coastlines will have their sea-level rise greater than 0.66 feet (0.2 meters), resulting in excessive coastal flooding, beach-sand erosion, salinization of water supplies & other impacts on humans & ecological systems which will be very harmful to the human life on earth. (Source: https://climate.nasa.gov/)

According to the findings of the survey conducted by the UN Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), critically urgent action is needed to avoid the catastrophic effects of global warming over the world. Without the change in our actions towards our environment, we would see an increase in widespread flooding, extreme heat, drought & poverty.

2. Greenhouse gas levels are ever-peaking

Due to the rise in earth’s temperature, greenhouses gases accumulation is affecting nature’s natural processes more than ever. Fossil fuels combustion, Carbon-mono oxide emissions, & the environmental impact because of intensive farming has filled the atmosphere with CO2.

Scientists say that this is the fastest & the largest increase in CO2 emissions; the world has ever seen.

3. Species headed straight towards early extinction

One of the environmental deterioration signs is the extinction of various species from earth, be it animals, birds, reptiles etc. Most of other species' existence are endangered too

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, which involved more than 1000 experts, says that about 24 species a day get wiped out from the earth which comes to about 8700s species, per year (Source: e360.yale.edu).

4. Climate change is creating a refugee crisis

As global temperature sees a rise, millions of people living in areas that are very much prone to sudden collapse due to any natural adversity are fleeing their homes to avoid the impacts of potential droughts and foreseeable extreme storms. These numbers are only set to rise in the coming future. The International Organisation on Migration gauges that up to 200 million people would be displaced by the effects of climatic changes by 2050.

(Source: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2021/09/13/climate-change-could-force-216-million-people-to-migrate-within-their-own-countries-by-2050)

5. Our oceans are dying

Our planet is only as healthy as its oceans. The UN has warned that marine life faces irrecoverable damage from the millions of tonnes of plastic waste that ends up in the oceans, every year. More than half of the world’s coral reefs have died in the last 30 years, and 2/3 of the Great Barrier Reef has been damaged by coral bleaching; due to sea temperature going too high up.

(Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/scientists-work-to-save-coral-reefs-climate-change-marine-parks)

The earth itself indeed acts like a living organism; it restores what is being destroyed. But we are causing more damage than the earth can repair. The natural flooding, timely earthquakes, the occasional droughts don’t affect the earth one bit but it destroys human, animal and plant life as we know it.

The Earth will stay alive and kicking much longer after the last traces of the human race could be found on its land. So, it is our decision to challenge the natural course of action or to get aligned with it.

It's high time we take control and make positive changes otherwise doomsday is just around the corner waiting for us

Forest carbon credit considered as a non visible forest product” that can be a viable alternative source of income for forest landowners. It’s a metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), of whichthe emission is newly sequestered and is purchased by GHG emitters as a cost-control measure to make up for emissions occurring elsewhere.

Managing forests for carbon emission offsetting gives the world the opportunity to reverse or at least sequestered the emissions that they have already made or they are about to make into the atmosphere. The total GHG emissions are increasing rapidly. Most of the GHG emissions of all time have been done in the last 40 years of our existence. More GHG emission mean climatic shifts which leads to intensive droughts somewhere and acute floods in other areas of the world. Because of those blindly done deforestation which hampers the smooth functioning of the forest and gets in the middle of the process of habitats having their share of biodiversity.

Researches around the world point to a fact that forests can play a vital role in mitigating the inimical effects of climate change and can help in putting a shackle on this ever-increasing global warming. Quality and Quantity of herbs, restoring the disbalances caused by humans in nature, water as a resource in quantity & quality, providing wildlife a habitat to call home and protecting biodiversity in that habitat.

Forest & Carbon Offset

To get an understanding of the carbon offset markets, we need to know how CO2 is measured and traded for various purposes. CO2 being the major contributor as the GHGs in the atmosphere, promoting global warming. All other gases are not actually come that much into consideration because CO2 is more easily measurable that others. The carbon unit in which it is measured is “metric tons of CO2 Equivalent” often seen written as MtCO2e or tCO2e & also called as “Carbon Credit or Carbon offset”. Currently sellers of carbon offsets are majorly forest landowners who are looking to opening up different forest-based revenue streams by helping out the GHG emitters in exchange of a handsome payday.

Carbon Marketplaces

There are two distinct types of carbon markets; voluntary and compliance markets

Carbon markets are divided into two subdivisions – voluntary &compliance markets.

Voluntary markets exist where companies or individuals buy carbon credits for purely a voluntary basis. Many companies voluntarily purchase carbon credits to demonstrate their commitment to protecting the environment and to demonstrate corporate social responsibility.

Voluntary markets are there for the individuals and companies so that they buy the credits for the sole purpose of showcasing their concern towards the environment, its well-being and their willingness to go above and beyond to correct it. It fulfils their commitment to live up to the corporate social responsibility they owe to the society.

Prices for the carbon offset in voluntary market, globally, can fall anywhere between a wide range.Forest authorities & land usage projects are somewhat larger voluntary carbon project categories than any other kind. There are numerous factors that influence the price determination of carbon credits at the very point in time for e.g.,the type & location of project that is put up against asking for the credits, additional deemed project benefits that will play out to be an influencing factor, marketing efforts & many others.

The emission stays within limit as it is cancelled out by the very nature of the deal and there is no margin left to betray the environment in any case.

Compliance Carbon Market

Compliance carbon markets are such marketplaces through which “regulated by the cap & trade” entities obtain & surrender emissions allowances or better known as ‘offsets’ in order to meet predetermined regulatory targets.

In case of cap & trade programs; participants i.e., both emitters and intermediaries such as financial institutions; both are allowed to trade allowances to make profit from the unused allowances or for meeting regulatory requirements.