zeroCARBON - Nature Based Carbon Credits

Projects

zeroCARBON: Nature-Based Carbon Credits

zeroCARBON is a project developed by zeroCO2 to generate high-quality, nature-based carbon credits. It stems from a desire to create a reforestation model with significant social impact, capable of removing CO₂ from the atmosphere while simultaneously creating lasting value for the local area and the communities involved.

WHERE

Guatemala – Petén

MAIN THREATS

Deforestation, monoculture farming, wildfires, loss of biodiversity, soil degradation

TREES PLANTED

Cedrela odorata, Swietenia macrophylla

PARTNERS

268 participants from 68 communities

Discover our platform

Guatemala

CONTEXT

Our high social impact, carbon removal project.

From our engagement with local communities and our understanding of the challenges posed by deforestation, economic vulnerability, and climate change, a broader reforestation project has emerged.

The project evolved through the development of technical methodologies and monitoring systems, becoming a structured nature-based carbon removal program in the voluntary carbon market. Collaboration with local communities served as the starting point, while the creation of a technically sound, certified Plan Vivo, and scalable project drove its development, transforming zeroCARBON into a project with climate, social, and economic impacts.

Project monitoring and integrity.

The zeroCARBON project is supported by a structured monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) system that complies with the requirements of the Plan Vivo standard, ensuring continuous monitoring of activities and performance over time.

Monitoring is conducted by the local team using an integrated approach that combines field surveys, data collection, and remote sensing technologies, enabling them to assess the condition of the plantations, biomass growth, and ecosystem changes. This system allows for the timely identification of potential issues—such as fires, diseases, and abandonment of project areas—and the prompt implementation of corrective actions, ensuring that the project proceeds as planned.

Value for the Maya communities.

zeroCARBON generates tangible benefits for local communities by involving small landowners and local stakeholders in every stage of the project.

60% of the revenue generated from the sale of credits is distributed directly to participants, helping to create new opportunities, strengthen local skills, and promote sustainable economic development. The project also invests in technical training, offering courses on plantation management and sustainable land management practices, with the goal of ensuring operational autonomy and long-term sustainability.

Ecosystem restoration.

The project contributes to certified CO₂ removal through reforestation efforts on degraded land, while also promoting ecosystem restoration.

The long-term goal is to restore soil fertility and functionality, returning the land to ecological conditions similar to those that existed before intensive exploitation for monoculture or grazing. These activities promote the return of native biodiversity through assisted natural regeneration (ANR) practices, improve soil quality and structure, and help increase the region’s resilience to the effects of climate change.