The Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve REDD Project

Risks to community benefits. In addition to the risks to climatebenefits enumerated above, which would reduce funding forcommunity programs, increased flooding presents a specificthreat to expected community benefits. During the social survey,communities reported that flood frequency, magnitude, andduration had been predictable in the past, and limited to periodicmajor rain storms. Today, floods are more frequent and severe,and last for much longer periods of time. Whereas in the pastfloods may have lasted for one to three day, for example, a singleflood today can last for one to five weeks. This flooding hasalready reduced the prospects of many Project Zone communitymembers who rely on fishing for their livelihoods.Recommended actions needed for reducing flooding are difficultto ascertain without further knowledge of proximal causes, suchas deforestation in upstream watersheds, canal construction byoil palm companies for swamp drainage, etc. Instead, projectproponents will focus on alternative livelihoods programs as away to mitigate the impacts of increased flooding.G3.6. Project Design and High Conservation ValuesDemonstrate that the project design includes specific measures toensure the maintenance or enhancement of the high conservation valueattributes identified in G1 consistent with the precautionary principle.A preliminary analysis of HCVs in the Project Zone determinedthat 11 of the 13 HCV sub-­‐values defined in the Toolkit forIndonesia are potentially present (see discussion in Section G1.8).Maintenance or enhancement of all these HCVs depend directlyon the protection of remaining forest, retention of connectivitybetween remnant forests in the Project Zone with those of TPNP,potential rehabilitation of degraded riparian forest zones in theProject Area, and prevention of oil palm expansion to protectwater quality and associated aquatic habitats of the Seruyan.Specific measures to achieve this are outlined in section G3.2,and their relationship to specific HCVs are discussed in SectionsCM1.2 and B1.2.G3.7. Project Benefits Beyond Project LifetimeDescribe the measures that will be taken to maintain and enhance theclimate, community and biodiversity benefits beyond the projectlifetime.To fulfill permanence requirements, proponents of a REDDproject must arrange for the protection of the Project Area for 30years. IE has developed a model that will protect the Rimba RayaProject Area in perpetuity.InfiniteEARTH will form a non-­‐profit foundation and with 5% ofits annual profits, fund an endowment sufficient to protect theproject area in perpetuity, well beyond the official 30 yearproject life. This approach marks an effort not only to offsetcarbon footprints, but also to make inroads into the currentglobal carbon deficit that is driving climate change.Most important among these projects is a set-­‐aside endowmentto fund the preservation of the Rimba Raya reserve in perpetuity.Resources will be dedicated and inalienable from the first day ofoperations, ensuring that the Rimba Raya Reserve will remainintact indefinitely. During the 30 years of project life, revenuesfrom the sale of carbon credits will be used to fund all CCBS-­relatedprograms. Once the project reaches the end of the CCBSperiod, remaining programs will be funded by “endowment163