A forest area in Gio Linh District, Quảng Trị Province, which is seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through forest protection, afforestation. — VNA/VNS Photo

QUẢNG TRỊ — Quảng Trị Province is mobilising resources and seeking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through protection of natural forests and afforestation.

It is one of six provinces in the north-central region that trial carbon credit trading and manage financial agreements for reduction of greenhouse gases.

The carbon market was created under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change adopted in 1997.

Countries with excess emissions can trade them with those emitting more or less than their targets, leading to a new global commodity: carbon credits.

One carbon credit is one tonne of carbon dioxide or one tonne of other equivalent greenhouse gases.

Quảng Trị Province has five natural forests managed by the community, which have received forest management certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

The province is certified for ecosystem services related to carbon sequestration and storage on an area of nearly 2,145ha, which sequesters 7,000 tonnes of carbon annually and stores approximately 350,000 tonnes.

From 2023 to 2025, the province will receive VNĐ51 billion (US$2.05 million) from forest carbon sequestration and storage services.

This amount will be used for forest protection and management, afforestation and forest guardians.

Its People's Committee recently approved a project called "Conservation, restoration, and improvement of eco-system services in natural forest carbon sequestration and storage through community management.”

It is sponsored by Etifor S.r.l.Benefit Corporation of the University of Padua in Italy, which will provide VNĐ6.5 billion for the programme to be implemented from now through February 2028.

The programme includes community-managed natural forest protection, training to strengthen skills in forest protection and patrols, community afforestation and enrichment, annual FSC assessments, and linking community with interested businesses.

In February, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quảng Trị Province announced a plan to mobilise people and forest managers to change their perceptions and agricultural practices, promoting non-burning afforestation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Quảng Trị has over 121,000ha of planted forests and an annual afforestation rate of 8,000-10,000ha to compensate for exploited forest areas.

Between 2024 and 2028 the province aims to mobilise people to plant 2,000 to 3,000ha of non-burning forests every year to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. — VNS