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Rural community-led climate action to reduce emissions

Mexico Laguna Om is a communally governed ejido in Quintana Roo state on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico

The the Laguna Om ejidos came together to manage 84,000 hectares of tropical forest in order to generate carbon credit revenues which could be reinvested into the community.

Nature-based Intervention:

Rural communities often come together to govern their land through something called ejidos. Within the Laguna Om ejidos the community has decided to invest in restoring the forest and using the carbon credits to further nature restoration and fund the community. They utilized on-the-ground technical support from their business partners in order to calculate emissions reductions and strategize the best land use options. The community then designated 84,000 hectares of forest for protection on their lands as part of an updated land use strategy.

Overview of context and outcomes:

The Laguna Om is one of the largest ejidos within Mexico and encompasses approximately 84,000 hectares of land. The ejido network in Mexico contains more than two-thirds of the country’s water and more than 80 percent of its overall biodiversity. The Laguna Om collaborates with the company Toroto, which is based in Mexico City specializes in nature-based solutions.

Case effectiveness on

Climate change

Mitigation: Positive

In one year the project predicted they could sequester 422,880 tons CO2.

Adaptation: Not reported

Ecosystem health

Ecological effect: Positive

This intervention is occuring in a highly biodiverse area with the land supporting species such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), the harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) and the Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii). The reported changes will help support increases in habitat quality and habitat extent.

Socioeconomic outcomes

It is reported that the additional income generated from the sale of carbon credits will be utilized to support democratically chosen community endeavors. The community of 500 people stands to generate key direct benefits from the sale of the credits.

Governance

Many rural Mexican communities started to govern their land collectively in associations called ejidos. The Laguna Om ejidos is a rural community of 500 people. The whole community comes together to manage their lands and the use of profits is decided democratically. The project is supported by the company Toroto which helps connect ejidos to the wider carbon market.

Finance

The project is financed through the sale of carbon credits. The work with the company Toroto to bring their carbon credits to market. The use of profits is decided democratically with at least 35% or the income reinvested into climate action.

Monitoring and evaluation

Toroto sent technicians to the area in order to examine the site and evaluate how much carbon could be sequestered at the location. They also support community monitoring of animal species within the forest to track ecosystem health.

Trade-offs and limitations

No information yet available on tradeoffs.

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Aerial of tropical forest
Photo © Spencer Watson
Conducted at landscape scale

Ecosystem type

  • Tropical & subtropical forests

Instigators

  • Community/self driven
  • Local private sector

Societal challenges

  • Biodiversity conservation
  • Climate change mitigation
  • Economic and Social development

Outcomes

  • Food security: Not reported
  • Water security: Not reported
  • Health: Not reported
  • Local economics: Not reported
  • Livelihoods/goods/basic needs: Positive
  • Energy security: Not reported
  • Disaster risk reduction: Not reported
  • Rights/empowerment/equality: Not reported
  • Conflict and security: Not reported
  • No. developmental outcomes reported: 2

Resources

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Literature info

  • Grey literature
Case methodology not reported