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BluForest Inc. Analyzes The Potential Of China Entering The Carbon Trading Market
On behalf of the Board of BluForest Inc. Contact Us Company phone number: 1-855-509-5508 info@bluforest.com www.bluforest.com 8 AUG 2013 WDM Group PR Network QUITO, ECUADOR–(Marketwired – August 7, 2013) – BluForest Inc. (OTCBB: BLUF) (OTCQB: BLUF) BluForest Inc. (“BluForest” or the “Company”), an emerging leader in the field of Carbon Trading and Renewable Energy, is currently analyzing the potential of China entering the Carbon Trading Market and linking with other countries’ carbon trading schemes. BluForest has been intently watching as China researches the sustainability and functionality of a foundation of national carbon-trading market before linking with other countries’ carbon trading schemes. The United States, Australia, Japan and the European Union are discussing the possibility of building a sub-regional or regional carbon market with China, said Xie Zhenhua, vice-chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission. “Our priority is getting our work done first, accumulating experience and then taking part in making the rules,” Xie said at a low-carbon forum.(1) Australian Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has expressed hope of eventually linking Australia’s carbon emissions trading schemes with China’s and South Korea’s, according to Reuters. Australia and the EU agreed in late August to link their carbon trade schemes by 2018. The NDRC selected seven pilot regions in November for the trial implementation of carbon trading. The pilot regions are encouraged to design regional regulations, specify the scope of trading and build a registration system and trading platform. China is said to focus on the trial implementation of carbon trading by 2015, with the goal of expanding a nationwide carbon market between 2015 and 2020, said Xie. China is working on designing the guidelines for reporting formats and accounting standards of carbon emissions, and building an online energy consumption monitoring system for major industries. Xie stated that “In the pilot phase, spot trading will dominate carbon trading, while futures trading will be considered when the conditions mature.” Xie also added that “the authorities should adopt measures to prevent risks and ensure a steady carbon market without dramatic fluctuations.” “As a result of investment of more than 2 trillion yuan ($315 billion), China cumulatively saved 700 million tons of standard coal over the past seven years, which was equivalent to a reduction of 1.7 billion tons in carbon emissions,” said Xie. The annual industrial output of the energy saving, environmental protection and recycling sectors is expected to reach 4.6 trillion yuan between 2011 and 2015. Xie said that adopting mechanisms such as the carbon market would help China reach its targets for energy saving and emission reduction in a more economical way.(2) BluForest is entering a rapidly evolving industry that offers investors the opportunity to get involved during the early stages of a marketplace poised for significant returns with mitigated risks. In addition to the voluntary carbon market which is demonstrating significant growth resulting from awareness and social responsibility, the Carbon Credit regulatory markets in Europe, Australia, California, Mexico and several other jurisdictions are also experiencing substantial growth. These indicators and the potential developments within the EU all point to a clear message: “The time to invest in BluForest, an ethical company positioned to capitalize on this growth has never been better!” Our initial land assets rank amongst the most valuable in the world. Their location within a government protected National Park places them on a level above most competitors who often face risks associated with permanence and other influences beyond their control. About BluForest Inc. BluForest Inc. is a development stage company that is a publically traded carbon offsets marketing and renewable energy company. BLUF is executing its strategy to become a leading marketer of carbon offsets in the voluntary markets under the UN principle of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+). The BluForest website provides further information about the company which prospective investors are encouraged to visit. Safe Harbor Act Notice: Statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Those statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the company and its management. Such statements reflect management’s current views, are based on certain assumptions and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results, events, or performance may differ materially from the above forward-looking statements due to a number of important factors, and will be dependent upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the company’s ability to obtain additional financing and the demand for the company’s products. Any investment in the company would be extremely speculative and involve a high degree of risk and should not be pursued unless the investor could afford to lose their entire investment. 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Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the use of terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” and similar words, although some forward-looking statements are expressed differently. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Continue reading
Bamboo Charcoal Technologies Introduced In Ghana
The International Network for Bamboo and Rattan (INBAR), is promoting bamboo charcoal technologies in Ghana, which have the potential to jump-start the country’s bio-energy sector and generate and sustain the charcoal business. It will also slow down deforestation and fight climate change. Mr Michael Kwaku, Country Director of INBAR Ghana, said in a statement issued in Accra on Wednesday and copied to Ghana News Agency that China-Africa collaboration focuses on bamboo to provide cleaner, safer, green energy source. It will also create and sustain jobs in the wood-fuel sector. The statement said the Forestry Research Institute is partnering Bamboo and Rattan Development Programme at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Africa and communities in the Western Region and INBAR to implement the project. The European Union and China are working to substitute bamboo charcoal and firewood for forest wood on, which 65 per cent of the rural population depends for its fuel needs. Initial successes with bamboo charcoal briquette in Ghana and Ethiopia, which have put bamboo biomass at the centre of renewable energy policies, are spurring interest in countries across the continent. This is prompting calls for greater investment in bamboo-based charcoal production as a green biofuel that can fight deforestation and mitigate climate change. “Bamboo, the perfect biomass grass, grows naturally across Africa and presents a viable, cleaner and sustainable alternative to wood fuel. “Without such an alternative, wood charcoal will remain the primary household energy source for decades to come—with disastrous consequences,” the statement said. It said In Ghana, the reason behind the cutting down of trees is usually for charcoal, pasture for livestock, farms, urban or industrial purposes. The number of trees illegally cut down yearly is way beyond the number of culprits arrested, which indicates that most of them culprits go scot free. This in the long run, causes depletion of land and harms green plants and animals. The statement said burning wood has a significant impact on the climate. Scientists predict that the burning of wood fuel by African households, will release the equivalent of 6.7 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere by 2050. Ten tonnes of raw wood produces one tonne of wood charcoal, making wood fuel collection an important driver of deforestation in Ghana. About 15 billion people have few alternative fuel sources. The INBAR project is the first to transfer bamboo charcoal and briquette technologies from China to Ghana to produce sustainable ‘green biofuels’ using locally available bamboo resources. “Ensuring food security in a changing climate is one of the major challenges of our era. It is well known that the destruction of Ghana’s forests has negative repercussions on livelihoods and sustainable agriculture as it feeds into a cycle of climate change, drought and poverty,” Ms Gloria Asare Adu, Executive Director Global Bamboo Product Limited. “Feeding people in decades to come will require ingenuity and innovation to produce more food on less land in more sustainable ways,” the statement said. Scientists believe that deforestation across the northern regions within the forest transitional zones, has contributed to changes in the weather forecast. Years of tree-clearing for charcoal in some part of the north, particularly in the Upper East and Upper East Regions, have eliminated fragile forests that stood as the last line of defence against the conversion of sparsely forested dry lands and pastures into useless desert, according to researchers from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. The International Energy Agency predicts that if business continues as usual, by 2030 biomass energy in sub-Saharan Africa including Ghana will still account for about three-quarters of total residential energy, underscoring the urgency of coming up with a sustainable alternative biomass to replace wood. Sub-Saharan Africa has more than 2.75 million hectares of bamboo forest, equivalent to roughly four per cent of the continent’s total forest cover. “Rural communities need access to sustainable approaches that will keep trees in the ground and the environment safe,” Professor Karanja M. Njoroge, Executive Director, Green Belt Movement has said. He said: “Bamboo grows naturally across Africa’s diverse landscapes, but unlike trees, it regrows after harvest and lends itself very well for energy plantations on degraded lands. We should put it to good use to provide clean energy for Ghana.” China is a global leader in the production and use of bamboo charcoal. The sector is worth an estimated $1 billion a year and employs more than 60,000 people in more than 1,000 businesses. Chinese partners, including the Nanjing Forestry University and WENZHAO Bamboo Charcoal Co., are helping to adapt equipment like brick kilns, grinders and briquette machines, and hand tools, for bamboo charcoal and briquette production using local materials. Building on this momentum, the INBAR initiative is now transferring China’s advanced bamboo charcoal technologies to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition to charcoal, bamboo offers many new opportunities for income generation. It can be processed into a vast range of wood products, from floorboards to furniture and from charcoal to edible shoots. The world bamboo export was estimated at $1.6 billion in 2009, a decline of about $ 659 million from $ 2.2 billion in 2008. INBAR is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to reducing poverty, conserving the environment and creating fairer trade using bamboo and rattan. INBAR was established in 1997 and represents a growing number of member countries all over the world. The headquarters is in China with regional offices in Ghana, Ethiopia, India and Ecuador. The organisation connects a global network of governmental, non-governmental, corporate and community partners in more than 50 countries. For more information one could go to www.inbar.int; http://bioenergy.inbar.int G NA Continue reading
Woodland Carbon Code Celebrates Second Year Of Achievement
6 AUGUST 2013NEWS RELEASE No: 16028 Woodland Carbon Code celebrates second year of achievement The Woodland Carbon Code, a voluntary UK standard which ensures that ‘carbon forestry’ projects really do achieve the carbon benefits they claim, has passed its second anniversary with an impressive number of achievements. Increasing numbers of people and organisations are seeking opportunities to invest in tree and woodland planting to help tackle climate change and compensate for their unavoidable carbon emissions to the atmosphere. Validation of such tree-planting projects under the Code ensures that they meet stringent requirements for sustainable woodland management and carbon accounting, and provides an assurance to investors. Achievements during the Code’s first two year of operation include: a total of 133 projects covering 14,200 hectares (35,000 acres) have been registered under the Code. (Registration is a notice of intention to seek validation); the amount of carbon dioxide predicted to be removed from the atmosphere by registered projects has passed 5 million tonnes; 42 of the 133 registered projects have completed audits and been independently validated as conforming to the standards of the Code, meaning that the carbon sequestration claims and other aspects of the project have been checked and confirmed; a scheme to allow groups of woodland projects to come together for validation has been successfully piloted and is now open to applicants, making the process more cost effective for smaller projects; the Code was recently launched on the Markit Environmental Registry, bringing enhanced accountability and transparency to the developing forest carbon market in the UK; and, an updated version of the Code has been published, addressing lessons learned from practical experience since the Code was launched in 2011. Dr Pat Snowdon, Head of the Economics and Climate Change Unit at the Forestry Commission, which administers the Code, said “It’s been another strong year of growth and achievement for the Woodland Carbon Code. It continues to offer credible assurance to investors that the woodlands they invest in will deliver the carbon dioxide emissions abatement ascribed to them, while also providing other environmental and social benefits. “Investing in woodland creation provides companies and individuals with a tangible means of demonstrating how they are reducing their carbon footprint. From October this year UK-quoted companies will be required to report their gross carbon dioxide emissions. The Government’s Environmental Reporting Guidelines also enable any company to report the benefits of its investment in carbon sequestration through Woodland Carbon Code-validated projects.” Further information is available at www.forestry.gov.uk/carboncode . NOTES TO EDITOR: Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) is the most common of the greenhouse gases causing the atmospheric warming which is changing Earth’s climate. Growing trees sequester, or absorb, CO 2 from the atmosphere, and use carbon atoms to form wood while emitting oxygen back to the atmosphere. Projects can only be validated under the Code if they meet its rigorous requirements for sound forest management, sustainability and carbon ‘accounting’. It was launched in 2011, and uses independent auditing companies approved by the UK Accreditation Service to audit project proposals. ‘Registration’ of a proposed planting project under the Code is the first step towards ‘validation’. Once registered, the proposal is audited against the standards set down by the Code, and if it satisfies the requirements it is ‘validated’. Projects must subsequently be ‘verified’ at least every 10 years to check that targets are being met. Validation provides evidence of the quality of the proposal, not only in carbon terms, but also in sustainable forest management terms, and is critical for attracting investors. Woodland established under the Code must attain high standards of forest management in line with the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) and its supporting guideline on Climate Change. The UKFS sets out the government vision of sustainable forest management, and is the ‘yardstick’ used by all four governments in the UK when assessing applications for forestry grants, tree felling licences and approvals of forest design plans. See www.forestry.gov.uk/ukfs . The 5 million tonnes of CO 2 registered will be removed from the atmosphere over the next 100 years. The woodlands should actually sequester significantly more than this over their lifetime, but a proportion is set aside as a ‘buffer’ in case of future losses of woodland (and carbon) caused by wind, fire, pests or disease. CO 2 sequestered, or absorbed, by WCC-validated woodlands in the UK can be traded, and entry on the Markit Environment Registry enables changes of ownership of each tonne to be tracked. The registry also records when projects are registered and credits are listed, and when carbon units have been “used” by a company in its carbon account. See www.markit.com . About 13 per cent of the UK’s land area is covered by woodland, which is more than double the woodland cover of 100 years ago. The European Union average is 37 per cent. MEDIA CONTACT: Charlton Clark, 0131 314 6500 Continue reading
