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Make an environmentally and financially responsible investment
Offset your CO2for a fraction of the price of buying credits
Carbon Offset
Reforestation Project
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Index
Overview........................................................................................................................................................................3
Investment summary.....................................................................................................................................................3
Project summary............................................................................................................................................................3
Who we are....................................................................................................................................................................3
What is a carbon offset credit?......................................................................................................................................4
Investment details..........................................................................................................................................................4
Why our investment is secure........................................................................................................................................5
Your investment return..................................................................................................................................................7
Current carbon offset prices..........................................................................................................................................8
Carbon offset market growth.........................................................................................................................................9
Carbon offset market projection.....................................................................................................................................9
How to sell your credits................................................................................................................................................10
How to make your returns............................................................................................................................................10
Project details..............................................................................................................................................................11
The greenhouse effect and carbon dioxide.................................................................................................................13
Biodiversity...................................................................................................................................................................14
Our partners.................................................................................................................................................................15
Frequently asked questions.........................................................................................................................................16
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Overview
Our partner is giving private investors and corporations the opportunity to
become a direct part of an environmental project yielding high financial returns,or low priced offset credits. This is a unique chance to grow your own credits
whether you prefer to use them to offset your carbon footprint or to sell them for
a high return on investment. Either way, your input will help save the Costa
Rican rainforest and the animals that live in it, as well as contributing to the fight
against climate change: The perfect green investment is finally here.
Investment summary
Invest US$12,000 (excl. closing costs, see page 5), receive a minimum
projected return of 15% per year for 50 years. In the first year we even
guarantee an 8% minimum return.
Prices start at US$12,000 (excl. closing costs, see page 5) for one unit of land
(5,000 m2) which currently produces 200 carbon offset credits per year. These
are sold for a market value of US$10 each, giving you an initial annual return of
US$2,000 per unit. The credit prices are expected to increase steadily according
to market trends, thus your annual return could increase every year to a
projected US$2M by the end of the lease (please see Your Investment Return
on page 7).
Project summary
The project is based in the Costa Rican rainforest, a location of great biodiversity and
political stability. The main activities of the project are: prevention of deforestation
through the purchase and conservation of rainforest land, as well as reforestation by
planting trees in adjacent farmland. These two activities are independently monitored
by quantification and verification companies, and carbon offset credits are allocated
to the project at the rate of approximately 200 credits per unit of land. These credits
are sold to the voluntary carbon market which is increasing steadily every year.
Mr. Redshaw, head of environmental markets at Barclays Capital
Carbon will be the world's biggest commodity market, and it could
become the world's biggest market over all
Who we are
We are a fully incorporated Costa Rican Company under European
management. We have 16 years of experience in forestry in Costa Rica as well
as a strong business background. We work closely with lawyers, environmental
experts and accreditation agencies to ensure our product is in accordance withall legal and environmental guidelines. Primarily a conservation company, we
have released a part of our project in order to facilitate expansion and further
environmental work in the rainforest.
- 3 -
Deforestation is
responsible for 20-25%
of global carbon
emissions, by the
burning and cutting of
about 34 million acres
of trees each year
(Source: NASA)
Our on-site team are
responsible for the
project development
and its social impact
factors.
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What is a carbon offset credit?
Individuals and organisations produce CO2 gases through their daily activities
such as air and car travel, burning of fossil fuels for energy etc. Trees andplants in the rainforest, on the other hand, absorb CO2 gases. Every ton of
CO2 absorbed by the rainforest is equal to one carbon offset credit. People
buy offset credits to neutralise the CO2 emissions they create in their every
day lives.
The amount of CO2 produced by an individual, couple, family or company is
called a Carbon footprint and the number of carbon offset credits required to
neutralise one's footprint depends on its size- the bigger the footprint, the more
credits are required to offset it. Offsetting one's entire footprint is known as
becoming carbon neutral.
Carbon Offset credits have become a very popular product as society isbecoming increasingly aware of the dangers of climate change and the
damage we are causing to our planet with our carbon emissions. Companies
also are publicly reducing their carbon emissions and offsetting the rest, as
they are acutely aware of the business advantages of becoming carbon
neutral.
Carbonpassport.com
64 per cent of consumers are more likely to use a business that claims
to have a low carbon footprint
Forestation is particularly relevant to the activity of CO2 offsetting because
plants physically remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Whilst there are
arguments for the importance of the development of renewable energy,
rainforests are essential to the immediate removal of dangerous CO2 gases
from the air.
Investment details
Key points
Low investment amount from just US$12,000 (excl. closing costs*)
* Closing costs of US$600 +1%, plus US$190 AML fees if applicable
Finance available for 1 year (please contact us for details)
Guaranteed 8% return in first year
Projected upwards of 15% return in subsequent years
Fully accredited and verified project
Credit prices expected to rise by 10% per year
50 year lease Land lease held by Citadel Trustees in the United Kingdom
- 4 -
The...disruption of the
Earths climate by
manmade greenhouse
gases is already well
beyond dangerous
John P Holdren, Harvard
University
"Saving forests is
critical for tackling
climate change. Without
action on deforestation,
avoiding the worst
impacts of climate
change will be next to
impossible
Johan Eliasch
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Why our investment is secure
We have gone to great lengths to ensure the absolute security of your
investment in our project. If you wish to see any of the supporting documentsfor the information below, please request them from our customer services
department who will be happy to send them to you.
Land is held in Trust with a UK Trustee - Citadel Trustees of Camberley,
Surrey, holds a lease over the land, which is registered in the Costa Rican
Land Registry through a non-trading UK subsidiary company. This registered
lease is held in trust for you, the Purchaser, and secures the land for the
duration of the project, ring fencing it against third party risks and securing your
rights to the carbon offset credits your land unit produces. In addition, an
individual Lease Assignment Agreement, evidencing your ownership, will be
issued in your name by the Trustee. Finally, the carbon credits produced by the
land need to be quantified every five years, therefore, the estimated cost of
obtaining the quantification, for the full period of your ownership, will be
deposited with the Trustee from day one. This is your guarantee that your land
will continue to be quantified in the future.
Low investment amount from just US$12000 (excl. closing costs*) - Many
investment products require a minimum investment of several hundred
thousand dollars. We believe that everyone should be able to benefit from a
great investment opportunity.
Guaranteed 8% return in the first year - We are so confident of selling all
your credits from the offset that we will personally guarantee a return of 8% in
the first year (not applicable if you are selling your own credits).
You are investing in a rapidly growing market - In today's financial climate
few markets are growing, but ours is a product that is booming even during a
worldwide recession.
Chris Morrison, Blue SourceSeveral companies who are heavily involved in the major stock
exchanges are betting that carbon offsets will become the next big
trading opportunity
We do not accept monies- Once you have signed the application form you
will be contacted to transfer the investment sum into the Trustee's escrow
account. Only once the Lease Assignment Agreement has been signed by
both parties will the Trustee transfer the funds to Our partner S.A. in Costa
Rica.
Costa Rica is a politically safe country- Costa Rica is one of the most stableand peaceful countries in the world. In 1987 The Nobel Peace Prize was won
by the Costa Rican president Oscar Arias Snchez. In 1948, the country chose
to abolish its army in order to fund better education and healthcare creating a
high literacy rate. The country has had at least fifty-nine years of uninterrupted
democracy, making it one of the most stable countries in the region.
- 5 -
Ethical or sociallyresponsible investment
(SRI) is one of the most
rapidly growing areas of
finance
(Source: Sparkes, Russell)
The battle against
climate change cannot
be won without theworld's forests-this is
now clear.
UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon
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Costa Rica is a highly active member of the Organization of American States
and the United Nations. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the
United Nations University of Peace are based in Costa Rica and Costa Rica is
a member of the International Criminal Court, with a Bilateral Immunity
Agreement of protection from the US-military.
Costa Rica is the ideal environment for the project- Costa Rica is a true
pioneer in the fight against Global Warming and the carbon offset market. In
1996 Costa Rica was one of the first countries to sell Carbon Credits: In an
unprecedented transaction, Costa Rica sold its first 200,000 tons of carbon
emission reduction credits to Norway for US$10 per ton.
A massive 30% of the country consists of protected nature reserves and the
Costa Rican government has announced its intention of becoming the world's
first carbon neutral country by 2021.
Costa Rica is a small country occupying just 0.001% of the planet's surface,
and yet it is home to between 7% and 8% of the planet's biodiversity. The list of
endangered species that can be found in Costa Rica include the Macaw,
golden toad, Puma and Jaguar, to name but a few.
The Costa Rican government itself runs similar projects- Costa Rica is a
leader within Latin American countries in the development of reforestation,
forest conservation, and sustainable forest management activities. In this
process of developing and selling carbon offset credits, a considerable amount
of experience has been achieved. The Costa Rican government body, MINAE,
is currently involved in similar projects to ours, thus you will be investing in anincentive which runs parallel to that of the government itself. A letter of
recommendation written by MINAE is available upon request.
The project is subject to regular monitoring by 3rd parties- The project is
independently quantified by Bioeco (please see partners section) every five
years. The global standards: Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) and the
Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCBS) are being employed for
the project, these are two of the most recognised official project standards in
the world. We have a Costa Rican legal firm overseeing the project and an
optional independent company, to oversees the security of the area. For yourprotection the UK based Trustee, Citadel Trustees, will actually hold a
registered lease on the land.
The land itself is safe- The rainforest is moist all year round which makes it
insusceptible to fire, and the project is an area which is not prone to
hurricanes, volcanic eruptions or earthquakes. Additionally, although rainforest,
almost by definition, requires little or no management, a local independent
company can be appointed at no extra cost to yourself to ensure security
against poachers and illegal loggers.
We put our money where our mouth is - By opening up our project to
independent investment, we are merely asking you to invest in something in
which we ourselves have already invested. We stand beside you as a part of
this project, not as vendors but as equal participators.
- 6 -
There is a growingdemand for.. .carbon
assets that promote...
development and
poverty reduction
in...the world's poorest
nations".
James Murray
Our project is regularly
monitored by 3rdparty
environmental experts
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Your investment return
Table shows credits production, annual return with 7.5% price increase
and annual return with 10% price increase. Figures are in US$:
Table showing annual credit production and subsequent cost per credit.
- 7 -
Credits Production Credit return with 7,5% price increase Credit return with 10% price increase
year
producedcredits
CreditPrice
AnnualIncome
CreditPrice
AnnualIncome
Percentagereturn
1 200 20 180 $10.00 $1,800.00 $1,800.00 $10.00 $1,800.00 $1,800.00 15.00%
2 200 20 180 $10.75 $1,935.00 $3,735.00 $11.00 $1,980.00 $3,780.00 16.50%
3 200 20 180 $11.56 $2,080.13 $5,815.13 $12.10 $2,178.00 $5,958.00 18.15%4 200 20 180 $12.42 $2,236.13 $8,051.26 $13.31 $2,395.80 $8,353.80 19.97%
5 200 20 180 $13.35 $2,403.84 $10,455.10 $14.64 $2,635.38 $10,989.18 21.96%
10 200 20 180 $19.17 $3,451.03 $25,464.76 $23.58 $4,244.31 $28,687.36 35.37%
15 200 20 180 $27.52 $4,954.40 $47,013.06 $37.97 $6,835.50 $57,190.47 56.96%
20 200 20 180 $39.51 $7,112.68 $77,948.43 $61.16 $11,008.64 $103,095.00 91.74%
21 200 20 180 $42.48 $7,646.13 $85,594.56 $67.27 $12,109.50 $115,204.50 100.91%
25 200 20 180 $56.73 $10,211.17 $122,360.15 $98.50 $17,729.52 $177,024.71 147.75%
30 200 20 180 $81.44 $14,659.46 $186,118.92 $158.63 $28,553.57 $296,089.24 237.95%
35 200 20 180 $116.92 $21,045.55 $277,652.89 $255.48 $45,985.81 $487,843.86 383.22%
40 200 20 180 $167.85 $30,213.61 $409,061.74 $411.45 $74,060.60 $796,666.60 617.17%
45 200 20 180 $240.98 $43,375.54 $597,716.13 $662.64 $119,275.34 $1,294,028.71 993.96%
50 200 20 180 $345.95 $62,271.20 $868,553.90 $1,067.19 $192,094.12 $2,095,035.35 1600.78%
10%Credit
deductionCare
andmanagement
Cost
netproduced
credits
Cumulative
Income
Cumulative
Income
Credits Production Credit Cost price
year
producedcredits
1 200 20 180 180 $66.67
2 200 20 180 360 $33.33
3 200 20 180 540 $22.22
4 200 20 180 720 $16.67
5 200 20 180 900 $13.33
10 200 20 180 1800 $6.67
15 200 20 180 2700 $4.44
20 200 20 180 3600 $3.33
25 200 20 180 4500 $2.67
30 200 20 180 5400 $2.22
35 200 20 180 6300 $1.90
40 200 20 180 7200 $1.67
45 200 20 180 8100 $1.48
50 200 20 180 9000 $1.33
10%Credit
deductionCare
a
ndmanagement
Cost
netproduced
credits
CumulativeNet
C
reditProduction
C
umulativeCredit
Price
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Current carbon offset prices
Source: EcoBusinessLinks.com
Carbon Offset Provider Price (US$ / Metric Ton CO2) Project Types Offset Types
AtmosClear Climate Club USA $5.40 - $25.00 Methane Car, Home
Carbonfund.org USA $10,00 Renewables, Efficiency,
Reforestation
Home, Car, Air, Events, Business
Carbon Footprint Offsetters
Canada
$10.00 (CER's) Renewables Personal, Business
LiveNeutral.org USA $12,00 Efficiency Car
The CarbonNeutral Company UK $12.64 (USA)
7.50 (UK VAT incl.)
Renewables, Efficiency,
Reforestation, Methane
Car, Air, Events, Business,
Deliveries, + many others
Terrapass USA $13,12 Renewables, Methane Car, Home, Air, Events, Business
ClearSky Climate Solutions USA $15,00 Forestry/reforestation, Methane Personal, Car, Air, Custompackages for businesses, events
and organizations
Standard Carbon USA $15,00 Methane, Efficiency, Renewables,
Carbon Sequestration
Car, Air, Sea, Events, Political
Campaigns
Sustainable Travel International
US, Switzerland
$15,25 Renewables Air, Car, Home, Hotel
Climate Friendly Australia $16.00 - $19.00 Renewables Home, Car, Air, Business
Enviro Friendly Australia $19,00 Efficiency, Reforestation Home, Vehicle, Personal, Travel,
Event, Business
Uncook the Planet Australia $19,45 Efficiency Air, Car, Home, Business
Bonneville EnvironmentalFoundation USA $29,00 Renewables Home, Air, Business, Event
Myclimate Switzerland $33.00 - $99.00 Renewables Air, Events, Business
Clear UK 17.95 Various, depending on CDM offset
projects
Car, Air, Motorbike Home,
Commute, Business
Carbon Passport UK 19.75 Renewables, Methane Home, Air, Car, Business
Global Cool UK 20.00 Renewables, Efficiency n/a
3Degrees USA $17,00 Methane, Renewables, Sustainable
Forest Management
Home, Car, Air
Bleau Ventures Carbon Offset UK $24.00 - $28.00 Efficiency, Reneable energy stove
programmes
Life, Air, Business, Travel, or on
request
Cleaner Climate UK & Australia $15.00 - $18.00 Renewables, Efficiency Air, Car, Home, Business
a: Atmos Clear - Low price for 25 Ton option at $135
1. Offset Types: There are hundreds of potential offset types. We have limited our survey to just the most common.
2. Verification: "n/a" means we were unable to determine a third-party verification body. The projects may, however, be verified.
3. Choice: refers to whether customers may choose between project types and/or specific projects.
4. Price: prices change and exchange rates fluctuate. The data listed was first gathered from the respective websites July 21, 2006
5. Other offset providers may exist. This survey provides a cross section of the industry, projects may be added or removed over time.
6. Some information may be incomplete or has changed. We welcome updates.
* Please make sure that additionality is offered by the offsetting projects. CCX and certainly some others as well do not guarantee this.
- 8 -
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Carbon offset market growth
Source: Ecosystem Marketplace, New Carbon Finance, World Bank
Carbon offset market projection
Source: Ecosystem Marketplace, New Carbon Finance, World Bank
- 9 -
MarketsVolume (MtCO2e) Value(US$ million)
2006 2007 2006 2007
Voluntary OTC Market 14 42 59 258CCX 10 23 38 72
Total Voluntary Markets 25 65 97 331
EU ETS 1,044 2,061 24,436 50,097
Primary CDM 537 551 5,804 7,426
Secondary CDM 25 240 445 5,451
Joint Implementation 16 41 141 499
New South Wales 20 25 225 224
Total Regulated Markets 1,642 2,918 31,051 63,697
Total Global Market 1,667 2,983 31,148 64,028
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How to sell your credits
If you are choosing to sell your credits rather than using them to offset your
own carbon emissions, or if you have surplus credits after your own offsetting,you can sell your credits in the following ways:
Sell your credits yourself: Your credits will be registered annually in your name
with an official carbon registry, to allow you to transfer or retire them yourself.
There will be a 5% management fee to cover the cost of registration, fees and
admin costs.
Sell your credits via a Management Company: A Management Company
appointed to sell your credits has existing relationships with credit brokers and
bulk buyers to ensure all the project credits are sold every year. This is the
most popular option as it is the easiest and most secure way to make sure your
credits are sold. They charge a 5% management fee and additional 5% salescommission to cover associated management and credit sale costs
respectively.
How to make your returns
You will own the Carbon Offset Credits produced by your land and, if you
choose to appoint it and it accepts your appointment, the Management
Company will sell them for you. The Management Company will pay you the
return from your credit sales, once the credits are sold. This often happens in
advance and, in case of the Carbon Offset Credits being sold for 3 years in
advance, you will receive the full amount at that moment.* This will be paid toyou as a cost to the Management Company, as the Management Company will
be buying the Carbon Offset Credits from you to sell on.** This ensures a tax
free transaction.***
* IMPORTANT NOTE: You will NOT be able to sell your unit on during the period for
which you have already received returns.
** An invoice will be raised from you to the Management Company for inclusion in
their accounts.
*** It is then up to you to include this income on your income tax return according to
the laws of your country of residence. We are in no way advising you to commit tax
evasion.
- 10 -
...Corporations... have come to see climate-change mitigation
and adaptation not only as necessities but as opportunities.
John P. Holdren, Harvard University
All the big global
investment banks are
hurrying into carbon
finance.
(Source: Fortune Magazine)
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Project details
We buy primary and secondary rainforest from private owners in Costa Rica.
Agricultural land is in high demand in the country and, despite theenvironmental sensibilities that instinctively exist in the Costa Rican people, the
high price tags of their land creates the temptation of selling it to be cut down.
We buy this land at a fair price, not exploiting the local people, and give them
the opportunity to make money without having to sacrifice the beautiful
rainforest they are so proud of. If they are inhabitants of the land, we allow
them to stay there, often finding employment for them within our reforestation
initiative. Socioeconomic factors are at the core of the project with various
initiatives and activities being launched and planned. (please ask us for details)
We contract 3rd party forestry engineers and environmental scientists to
perform fieldwork measuring the biomass of the rainforest and the levels of
CO2 absorbed by the vegetation. Experts are contracted to advise on the type
of plant life that is most likely to generate as many carbon credits as possible
whilst also mimicking the natural rainforest to create an extension of the real
forest, not just a quick and inappropriate carbon basin.
The project design and methodologies adopted are taken from the Voluntary
Carbon Standard authority (VCS) in Geneva and the Climate, Community,
Biodiversity Alliance (CCBA) for the relevant project activities. All credits
produced are registered in an official global carbon registry. These measures
ensure that the product is authentic and that credits cannot be double-sold.
If, rather than doing it yourself or through another agent, you appoint the
Management Company we recommend and it accepts your appointment, the
Management Company will market the credits for sale on your behalf, will issue
certificates of ownership and will create any marketing materials you may
require for your business or personal portfolio.
Additional activities include hosting guided trips to see the project,
environmental research and educational initiatives.
- -
ProcedureJoining our project could not be easier:
Complete our Application Form and return it to us byfax or email with a copy of your proof of ID.
Transfer the purchase amount to the escrow accountof Citadel Trustees. The completed LeaseAssignment Agreement (LAA) and ManagementAgreement will be sent to you.
You send the signed LA A and ManagementAgreement back to us.
We send the LAA to the trustee and only then willmonies be released by the trustee.
You receive a complete investor pack includingwatermarked certificate and your copy of the signedLAA.
You receive the Carbon Offset Credits annually.
Foreign MinisterBruno Stagno-Ugarteof Costa Rica
For Costa Rica to be successful
towards our goal of carbon
neutrality by 2021, we will require
international support to scale-up
our efforts to conserve existing
forests and increase reforestation
and restoration activities. Only
through an integrated approach to
forestry, can we push back the
effects of climate change. Today we
have a historical opportunity to
make things right and correct the
mistakes of the past."
Only a quarter of theoriginal forest cover in
Costa Rica is still
standing.
(source:
VivaCostaRica.com)
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Global warming
Scientist have recently discovered that the Earth's temperatures is rising at an
alarming rate: If we see a further 3 degree rise in temperature, we will be at thepoint of no return. This temperature rise is commonly known as global
warming.
NASA
Because of rapid warming trend over the past 30 years, the Earth is
now reaching and passing through the warmest levels seen in the last
12,000 years
Print resolution still ofglobal temperature
anomalies averaged
from 1880 to 1884.
(source:http://svs.gsfc.n
asa.gov/vis/a000000/a0
03300/a003375/)
Global temperatureanomalies averaged
from 2002 to 2006.
(source:http://svs.gsfc.n
asa.gov/vis/a000000/a0
03300/a003375/)
John P. Holdren, Harvard University
The ongoing disruption of the Earth's climate by manmade greenhouse
gases is already well beyond dangerous and is careening toward
completerly unmanageable
- 12 -
"UNEP, ecologists and
the scientific community
have long argued that
forests are...worth
billions if not trillions of
dollars if only we can
capture these in the
economic models".
UN Under Secretary-General
"According to the IPCC
avoided deforestation
would cut emissions by
up to 25 per cent, while
almost every economic
analysis of climate
change shows it is one
of the most important
actions we can take"
Abyd Karmali, global head
of Carbon Emissions at
Merrill Lynch
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The greenhouse effect and carbon dioxide
The main contributor towards global warming is known as the Greenhouse
Effect: Atmospheric gases known as Greenhouse Gases (or GHGs) form alayer around the Earth which radiates heat and keeps our planet at a habitable
temperature. However, the recent increase in these gases has caused excess
heat to be trapped in the atmosphere and is taking the surface temperature of
the planet to higher levels than we can stand. If the greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere are not reduced immediately, the Earth's temperature will continue
to rise with catastrophic consequences. We are already beginning to see the
effects of such global warming.
John P. Holdren, Harvard University
Changes in monsoon patterns are unleashing floods and droughts andhurting agricultural productivity in China and India
The most abundant of greenhouse gases is Carbon Dioxide which is released
by human activity on a gargantuan scale. If our CO2 emissions are not
reduced significantly and immediately, the planet as we know it will be a thing
of the past.
John P. Holdren, Harvard University
Changes in monsoon patterns are unleashing floods and droughts andhurting agricultural productivity in China and India
James Hansen, director of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which
civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted, CO2 will
need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm [part per million] to at most
350ppm
Deforestation accounts for more carbon emissions than all the planes, trainsand cars on Earth (source: Karen Foerstel, the nature conservancy ) so it is
essential that these forests are saved by supporting projects such as ours.
Bill Stanley, Global Climate Change Initiative, The Nature Conservancy
Deforestation accounts for roughly 20 percent of global carbon
emissions and more than 30 percent of emissions from developing
countries. Halting deforestation over the next 50 years would protect
important habitat while also providing around 15 percent of the carbon-
emissions reductions needed to stabilize global temperatures
- 13 -
If humanity wishes to
preserve a planet
similar to that... to which
life on Earth is adapted,
CO2 will need to be
reduced form its current
385 ppm [part per
million] to at most
350ppm
(Source: NASA)
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Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of life on the planet, from micro-organisms to blue
whales, along with the plant habitats they depend upon for survival.Biodiversity is a basic part of the Earth's life support system. It supports
fundamental natural services for people and animals such as fresh water,
fertile soil and clean air. Habitat loss is considered to be the main cause of
current biodiversity loss. Clearance of native vegetation for agriculture, timber
and industry destroys these habitats and all the animals living in them.
Costa Rica is home to between 7% and 8% of the planet's biodiversity. If
Earth's creatures are to be saved, we must first save the habitats where they
exist in most abundance.
Mike Hoffman, Conservation International
We believe everything can be saved. It's about where you go first. If we
fail in the hotspots, half of biodiversity is gone. Finished.
Measuring the variety of nature & selecting priority areas for conservation.
GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY VALUE: a map showing the distribution of some of
the most highly valued terrestrial biodiversity world-wide (mammals, reptiles,
amphibians and seed plants), using family-level data for equal-area grid cells
(ref 10), with red for high biodiversity and blue for low biodiversity.
Source: Biogeography & Conservation Lab
The Natural History Museum
- 14 -
By 2050 between 15
and 37 percent of the
species on Earth might
me committed to
extinction as a result of
climate change alone
(Source: Conservation
International)
The war (on climate
change) is about to
happen. It has to
happen.
(Source: Zerofootprint )
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Our partners
Rachel Spring
Legal Services
www.citadeltrustees.com
Citadel Trustees Limited, was formed to provide specialised
trustee services in a variety of areas such as stakeholder
activities, conveyancing services, shared ownership, private
residence clubs and probate administration.
Citadel Trustee St Limited has been formed specifically to act as
Trustee for the Carbon Offset Reforestation project.
Citadel's highly experienced team has been providing trustee
and stakeholder services to the leisure and real estate industriesfor more than 25 years, handling in excess of 65 million/$130
million of client funds annually.
Citadels Head Office is based in Camberley, Surrey, United
Kingdom and the company has branch offices, or associated
companies in Spain, India, Thailand and China from which it
services its international client base.
Frank Vranken
Director
www.ecomanagementservices.org
Eco Management LLC is the Management Company that we
recommend to you to use, although it has to agree to act as your
agent. Eco Management LLC is a Costa Rican based company,
specialising in forestry, reforestation, plantation setup,
management and agricultural activities, established in 1994.
The company consists of a dedicated team of in-field, forestry
engineers and agronomists for field work and the important plant
monitoring system, with experience in Costa Rica and Central
America. Their staff is a colourful team of Costa Ricans and
Europeans with varied and in-depth experience of Central
American land, soil, plant species, cultivation, security and forest
management.
In those units for which it has accepted appointment as manager
by investors, Eco Management LLC will be responsible for the
management and security of the existing rainforest belonging to
the Carbon Offset Forestation Project, as well as the re-
forestation side of the project which requires their considerable
expertise.
Guido Snchez
Legal Department
www.icstax.com
Founded in 1993, ICS is recognized as a highly experienced firm
of lawyers, tax advisors and accountants with an impressive
client portfolio. They are based in San Jos, Costa Rica and are
members of Tax & Labor, a law firms' alliance of labor and tax
attorneys, experts on a Central American level with the aim of
supporting regional business of local clients from the associated
firms. Also members of CPA Associates International, Inc.
(CPAAI), a reputable association of independent accounting
firms with members worldwide, ICS have the resources to assistyou with any additional tax or legal advice or assistance you
may require.
They have been involved in the structuring of the Carbon Offset
Forestation Project, creating the most tax efficient and legally
secure system for our customers. ICS have performed a legal
assessment of the Carbon Offset Forestation Project in Costa
Rica and find it to be in perfect order, locally and internationally.
A member of the ICS's fully qualified legal team will be in charge
of constructing and overseeing your lease contract, and will
charge a set rate of $200 USD for this service.
Meir Ary Kiersemblat
Director
www.bioeco.com
A Costa Rican firm specializing in environmental services
including environmental management, and specializing in
Carbon offset measurement and accreditation. Their highly
experienced team of scientists and forest engineers will perform
the measurements required to establish the carbon uptake of theland and monitor any changes.
They will certify the carbon credits produced by the rainforest
vegetation and will provide advisory services for the
reforestation activities of the project to maximize the amount of
carbon offset credits produced.
Juan Miguel Velasco
Senior Partner
www.vbabogados.com
An established and reputable firm of lawyers based in Spain, they specialize in property law with
considerable experience in the international sector.
VB Abogados have performed due diligence on the Carbon Offset Forestation Project and have beenin contact with local authorities, organizations and companies in order to do so, in their native
language of Spanish.
Their fully qualified legal team speak Spanish, English and German and are happy to answer any legal
queries regarding Our partner S.A and its projects.
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Frequently asked questions
Q. There have been some concerns raised in the
press about some reforestation and carbon offset
projects, exploiting their position for quick gains/profit Why is this product different?
A. The stories in the press talk of get-rich-quick
schemes of planting fast-growing trees and then cutting
them down, then claiming that this offsets CO2. It
doesn't- the dioxide carbon is released as soon as the
trees are cut down. Other bogus schemes claim to be
reforesting while they plant foreign species in unsuitable
areas because they grow faster than indigenous plants.
We plant only local species and we do not cut the trees
down apart from some essential thinning which benefits
plant growth.
Q. How do I know this project is genuine?
A. We have complete supporting documentation
available to anyone who wishes to see it, we do not
accept monies ourselves; they are held by the Trustee
until the LAA is issued in your name, and if anyone is
still concerned, we can arrange a visit to the project itself
including a tour of the forest and the people involved in
the project. We will pick you up from the airport and can
even help with arranging accommodation and transport.
Furthermore, we will even pay for your trip if you buy 10
units or more.
Q. Why do I get a Lease Assignment Agreement and
not a freehold purchase agreement?
A. According to local law, if we were to sell freehold
land, each and every plot would have to be separated
and registered individually, as well as given road access.
It is physically impossible to build roads in between and
going to every unit of rainforest, and it would of course
destroy the forest if we were to do this. This law does
not apply to a lease transaction.
Q. How do I know that these credits are any good?
A. The credits produced are quantified by qualified
engineers following the IPCC guidelines, are verified by
a globally recognised 3rd party and are of the samestandard and type as the credits sold by the Costa Rican
government itself.
Q. How do I know that the accreditation will be
renewed every 5 years once I have paid my money?
A. Our partner S.A are bound by the LAA to renew the
quantification report. Moreover, funds will be deposited
in a 3rd party escrow account and held aside for this
purpose.
Q. Can I renew my Lease Assignment Agreement at
the end of 50 years?
A. Yes, the lease is renewable by you after 50 years .
The value of the land will be the market rate of the Unit
at the time of renewal and will be priced accordingly.
This valuation will be carried out by a valuer from a bank
in Costa Rica, thus ensuring the value will be
established by an independent third party.
Q. What is my exit strategy?
A. During the investment period, you have the option of
selling on your unit, thus releasing your invested capital.
Our partner intends to grant other leases over other
plots of land for what it hopes will be a considerably
higher sum, therefore you can sell your unit for below
market value whilst still making a profit. With returns
projected at 100% p.a. by year 21, however, it is unlikely
that any of our investors will choose to sell their
investment. If, however, you wish to release your capital
at any point, we can market your investment on your
behalf for a 10% commission on sales price.
Q. What are the risks to my investment?
A. The risks are very low: In the rainforest the climate is
very damp thus there is little or no risk of fire. The land is
safe from theft, squatting or logging and the project is
not in a volcanic or earthquake zone. The political
climate and legal system in Costa Rica are extremely
secure. The credits produced by the land are verified,
numbered and follow the guidelines of international
governing bodies. The land value is increasing steadily
in Costa Rica and unlikely to fall in line with the global
property market. Voluntary market carbon offset credit
sales are rising steadily.
Q. How much do I have to invest to be a part of theproject?
A. The minimum purchase is one unit, which is the
equivalent of approximately 5000m2 and you get a
minimum of 200 Carbon Offset Credits for this. The
current price for a unit is US$ 12,000.
Q. How can the project benefit my business, or
personal portfolio?
A. Aside from the financial gain, being a part of a
genuine environmental project can lend enormous
credibility to your company or organisation; being able to
say you are carbon neutral, helping to save therainforest and protect animal species is a great
marketing tool.
Q. Does the project exploit local land owners?
A. No- we do not underpay land owners, and we allow
them to stay on the land if they have a home there, often
employing them to help with the project.
Q. How do Our partner make their money?
A. We do not sell or lease all the land in our project, we
only release small parts of it in order to raise capital for
further expansion. The land that we still own creates
carbon offset credits which are sold and this is where werecoup our investment.