Compensation of the Tara Arctic Expedition

The compensation programme intervenes after a very deep reflective analysis aiming in reducing to the maximum the energy consumptions during Tara’s expedition in the Arctic. It does not concern, therefore, clearing the expedition of its greenhouse gas emissions but to act on the flow regime part of the emissions connected to certain activities (aerial rotations, operation of the ship during the drift) for which the expedition is fossil energy dependant. Even if behaviour improvements or small works are carried out, it is not possible to avoid these emissions.
 
We associated to the CO2Solidaire voluntary compensation programme by financing a wood energy saving project in Cambodia.

Wood energy saving in Cambodia
Promote wood saving equipment
Since 1997, GERES leads a wood consumption reduction programme in Cambodia. This project relies on the production and the distribution of improved wood saving stoves and furnaces. Conceived in partnership with local associations and manufactured in a handicraft manner, these improved furnaces substitute progressively the traditional stoves. These furnaces save up to 30% of the wood or wood coal and their investment becomes cost effective in less than two years.
In 2002, 10,000 furnaces have been distributed. Thanks to this project, today there are 180,000 furnaces used in households and 2,200 improved palm sugar stoves used in Cambodia.
                                               
Issues and prospects
In 2007, use of these equipments allows the accomplishment of a saving of more than 130,000 tons of wood. This project of firewood saving contributes in the fight against deforestation of the Cambodian forest: more than 2,000 hectares of forests have thus been saved every year. Besides the environmental impact, the project allows improving significantly life conditions of the Cambodian populations and also generating incomes by creating local production networks of improved furnaces.

Tara Arctic Expedition:
300 Tons equivalent of CO2