The Global Carbon Council (GCC), the Middle East & North Africa’s (MENA) first voluntary carbon offsetting program, has partnered with the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet (GASP), a planetary alliance dedicated to catalyzing transformative ideas to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.
Both entities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will see them work together to establish partnerships and facilitate knowledge sharing between the global scientific and development community, policymakers, and the private sector, in order to accelerate climate action, sustainable development and poverty alleviation. This includes a particular emphasis on increasing collaboration between the Global North and the Global South.
Through the partnership, GCC and GASP will work together to support high-quality scientific research, promote the consultation and engagement of indigenous people and vulnerable communities in the development of climate policies, and build bridges between governments, communities, and the private sector to transform large-scale social impact and positive change.
Dr. Yousef Alhorr Founding Chairman Global Carbon Council
“The world is at a critical juncture in the fight against climate change, and concerted and immediate efforts are vital to ensure we drive progress towards the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Global South is often most affected by climate change but suffers from the lack of representation and understanding of on-the-ground realities by climate policymakers. We’re pleased to partner with the Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet to change this pattern and bridge gaps between the Global South and the Global North, to ensure we holistically address climate change, while safeguarding a sustainable and resilient future for all.”
The two organizations will increase collaboration and mobilize private finance to ultimately deliver transformative environmental and social impact, including;
Building partnerships between institutional counterparts and private sector entities to accelerate climate action, poverty alleviation and sustainable development, and to capitalize on transformative opportunities for environmental and social impact.
Facilitating cooperation between government bodies and international institutions working to address rural development, landscape restoration and reforestation, and sustainable agriculture.
Mobilizing private finance for public good, by scaling up investment in enhancing the ‘GDP of the Poor’, and identifying investment opportunities for transformative ideas that drive social impact at global and national levels.
Supporting continuous dialogue and exchange among partners to discuss projects’ results, progress and best practices.
Mr. Satya S. Tripathi, GASP Secretary-General, said that “This partnership symbolizes our shared commitment to tackling the catastrophic climate challenge of our time. By leveraging GASP’s unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship with the Global Carbon Council’s expertise in carbon mitigation and sustainable practices, we are poised to drive transformative impact on a planetary scale Together, we shall forge new pathways toward a more resilient and carbon-conscious world, leaving an indelible legacy of sustainability for generations to come.”
The partnership comes as the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report reveals the strong likelihood of the planet reaching 1.5 degrees of global warming in the next few years. With fertile soil being lost at rapid rates due to unsustainable agriculture practices, and consequential impacts on the livelihoods of agricultural communities, urgent action and collaboration is needed to reduce emissions while creating more resilient communities.
