Chili and Onion in Climate Change Mitigation?                            July 02, 2009

Modernization process releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. They warm up the Earth. If we do not take act to reduce the emissions, the impacts due to this global warming would possibly be beyond our control. Global warming has resulted in climate change, brought a lot of adverse effects to mankind. It has caused more frequent and more severe floods, more severe winters, intense droughts and forest fires, glacial melting, water shortage, coral bleaching and extinction of many endangered species.

In a global effort to mitigate or reduce these effects due to global warming, the Kyoto protocol introduced a mechanism called clean development mechanism (CDM) to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Cutting down trees also releases carbon dioxide into the air. In order to prevent the forests from being cleared by illegal loggers, one way is to provide them with an alternative source of income to alleviate poverty. This is being operated by Asia Pacific Resources International Holdings Limited (APRIL). Jobs are generated for forest lands managed by APRIL, for example, planting of chili to generate income for people who might otherwise turn illegal loggers. This avoids deforestation and reduce carbon dioxide emissions to save the Earth. APRIL, in helping to mitigate (reduce) global warming, may get carbon credit as revenue incentives through this CDM mechanism.
 

APRIL's community Development program for example, chili planting helps alleviate poverty, as well as provide an alternative source of income to illegal logging. Photo origin: Climate Action Sustainability in Action