As part of our Climate Positive Leasing Service, Each time we lease a car or van, we contribute to Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Gold Standard carbon reduction projects to offset the carbon produced during the vehicle's manufacturing process. Additionally, for every electric vehicle leased, we plant 100 trees in the Lease Electric Forest, which helps remove approximately 30 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere for each tree.
To date, Lease Electric has contributed to the planting of 26,532 trees and has invested in 51 projects, leading to the avoidance of 6,156.78 tonnes of CO2e. These initiatives have funded various efforts aimed at renewable energy, deforestation prevention, wetland restoration, and communities around the world.
January's Impact
Trees Funded
In January, Lease Electric funded the planting of 1,912 trees.
Out of these, 1,700 were allocated to the Mau Region of Kenya.
Residents in the Mau Region encounter various challenges, such as limited access to fresh water, poor road infrastructure, and insufficient educational facilities. Since the 1970s, deforestation in this region, due to agriculture, charcoal production, and livestock farming, has resulted in considerable land degradation.
Among the funded trees were 1,000 Loquat trees and 700 Cordia Africana trees, both of which bear edible fruits.
Find out more about this project
Additionally, 200 trees were funded for Project Kandrany 2 in Madagascar.
Madagascar, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, which is consider a biodiversity 'hotspot' with over 90% of the island's wildlife found no where else in the wolrd. However, extensive destruction of its native forests has displaced various animal species and negatively impacted local agriculture. The loss of mangrove estuaries has led to soil erosion and heightened risks of coastal
flooding. Mangroves are crucial for carbon absorption and storm protection, thriving in tropical areas while enhancing coastal resilience and providing vital habitats for marine life.
Lease Electric has contributed to the planting of 200 Rhizophora Mucronata (loop-root mangrove, red mangrove, or Asiatic mangrove).
Ecologi’s projects in Kenya and Madagascar are managed by Eden Reforestation Projects, a non-profit organisation. Eden employs local community members to cultivate, plant, and care for the trees. This strategy not only aids in restoring forest ecosystems but also fosters numerous positive socioeconomic and environmental benefits through Eden’s “Employ to Plant” approach.
Project Supported
In January, Lease Electric also contirbuted towards Peatland restoration and conservation in Indonesia
Peatlands are vital ecosystems covering only 3% of Earth's surface yet storing more carbon than all other vegetation combined. These water-logged soils, formed from partially decomposed organic material, release carbon dioxide when disturbed. Indonesia holds 36% of the world’s tropical peatlands, which are increasingly threatened by plantation expansion, leading to significant forest loss.
The Katingan Mentaya Restoration and Conservation Project in Central Kalimantan aims to protect and restore 149,800 hectares of peatland. It employs satellite monitoring and fire management to safeguard existing forests, utilising trained staff and volunteers to prevent fires and illegal logging. The project also focuses on rewetting degraded areas by blocking canals and constructing wells.
The initiative has three main goals:
- Protect and restore 149,800 hectares of peatland ecosystem.
- Preserve biodiversity, including critically endangered species like the Bornean orangutan.
- Improve the well-being of 49,000 people in local villages through economic and health initiatives.