<span class="txt-dark-grey">Pikounda Nord</span> REDD+ Project

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">FAQs</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">How is the project's additionality proven?</span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align: left; display:block">This project is a clear case of &quot;Avoided Planned Deforestation.&quot; The area was an officially approved logging concession with a government-authorised plan for timber harvesting. By voluntarily choosing full conservation instead, we prevented an estimated 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions that would have otherwise been released. This verifiable &quot;with vs. without&quot; scenario provides robust additionality.</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">Does the project cause deforestation elsewhere?</span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align: left; display:block">The project is located within a cluster of FSC® certified concessions that already operate under strict zero-deforestation standards. The nearest non-certified area is over 100 km away. Independent verifiers (SCS Global, DNV) have confirmed no measurable leakage risk exists, as the entire landscape is managed to prevent deforestation from being displaced.</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">Are local communities impacted, and do they benefit from the project?</span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align: left; display:block">The project area contains no permanent settlements, so no communities are displaced. Furthermore, the project creates significant benefits by channelling approximately one fifth of net revenues to local communities. This funds education, healthcare, and creates local employment, establishing a sustainable revenue model that replaces the need for logging.</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">How do we know carbon rights are secure?</span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align:left; display:block">CIB, a subsidiary of Olam Agri, has been operating FSC®-certified forest concessions in northern Congo for over 55 years, maintaining continuous legal tenure and management under the national forest code. The company holds a long-term concession title officially recognised by the Congolese government. A Deed of Representation formally assigns emission-reduction rights to CIB and was validated by Verra during project registration. The Ministry of Forest Economy has issued written confirmation of the project’s status and its alignment with the national REDD+ strategy. This long-standing presence, combined with legal and institutional backing, ensures clear, exclusive, and enforceable carbon rights.</span>

<span style = "text-align:left; display:block">How is the project monitored?</span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align:left; display:block">We employ a robust Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system using satellite imagery, aerial surveillance, and ground patrols. This data is independently audited and verified by third parties like SCS Global and DNV. All reports and verification statements are publicly available on the Verra registry, ensuring radical transparency.</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">What makes Pikounda different from other projects?</span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align: left; display:block">Many projects rely on forecasting hypothetical deforestation. Pikounda is different: it stopped an actual, legally approved logging plan. There are no inflated baselines, no disputed land tenure, and no communities within the project boundary. This &quot;Avoided Planned Deforestation&quot; model, verified under a specific Verra methodology, provides a higher degree of certainty and integrity.</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">What happens after the crediting period ends?</span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align: left; display:block">The forest remains under the permanent conservation mandate of our long-term legal concession, which extends beyond the carbon crediting period. A portion of the carbon revenue is also allocated to a permanent protection endowment to fund future patrols and community programmes, ensuring guardianship continues irrespective of carbon market fluctuations.</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">Why is this a high-integrity investment? </span>

<span class="p2" style = "text-align: left; display:block">Pikounda offers a rare combination: a legally protected, intact forest with a verifiable baseline of avoided planned deforestation. It is backed by over a decade of proven conservation, dual verification under Verra and FSC®, and delivers measurable climate action alongside profound community and biodiversity benefits. This makes it a transparent, low-risk, and high-impact carbon asset.</span>

<span style = "text-align: left; display:block">What is the process for purchasing and retiring credits?</span>

1. <span class="p2" style="text-align: left; display: block;">Contact us to discuss your needs.</span>
2. <span class="p2" style="text-align: left; display: block;">We provide a project information pack, including verified documentation, registry details, and a commercial proposal.</span>
3. <span class="p2" style="text-align: left; display: block;">Select and reserve credits.</span>
4. <span class="p2" style="text-align: left; display: block;">We facilitate the transaction and transfer in the Verra registry.</span>
5. <span class="p2" style="text-align: left; display: block;">You receive a formal retirement certificate, confirming that the credits have been permanently retired and cannot be reused.</span>