- The first biodiversity credits certified under the Biodiversity Certification Carbon Partnership (BCPP) program have been issued and are now available for international trade.
- These credits are managed by the Savimbo Biodiversity Putumayo Project (CBCP-1) in the Colombian Amazon, which combines rigorous science, transparent data, and robust safeguards..
- The project aims to protect 3,184.5 hectares of primary rainforest, safeguard 56 indicator species, and support 70 smallholder farming families.
Colombia, August 14 – Cercarbono and Savimbo have announced that the first biodiversity credits certified under the Cercarbono Biodiversity Certification Program (CBCP) have been issued and are now available for international trade. Generated by the Savimbo Putumayo Biodiversity Project (CBCP-1) in the Colombian Amazon, the credits recognize measurable conservation and community management results in one of the world’s most ecologically important and threatened regions.
Independently validated and verified under the CBCP, the project meets the program’s strictest integrity and transparency standards. Between September 2019 and September 2024, it achieved a net issuance of 3,183 Gold and 33,769 Platinum Innovation Voluntary Biodiversity Credits (iVBCs). All credits are recorded on EcoRegistry’s blockchain-enabled platform, ensuring full digital traceability, a transparent transaction history, and safeguards against double counting. The credits are now available for international trade, including through Emsurge.
Alex Saer, General Manager of Cercarbono, has stated: “This certification marks a turning point for the biodiversity credit market. It demonstrates that science-driven, community-based projects can deliver verifiable conservation benefits and offer buyers a reliable way to invest in biodiversity with integrity.”
The Savimbo Biodiversity Project in Putumayo is a grassroots conservation initiative led by Savimbo Inc., encompassing 3,184.5 hectares of primary rainforest across 70 legally titled smallholder farms in the municipality of Villagarzón. Many of the project participants and staff are Indigenous, bringing deep cultural ties and traditional ecological knowledge to the initiative.
By combining this heritage with modern tools, such as camera traps, GPS mapping, and open data platforms, the project demonstrates how science and community stewardship can work together to protect biodiversity.
Indigenous leader Fernando Lezama, co-founder of Savimbo, declared: “This model combines a love for nature with opportunities for a better future. It demonstrates that it is possible to care for the planet while promoting local development. Villagarzón is an example of balance between the forest and its people.”.
The credits were generated using the Indicator Species Biodiversity Methodology (ISBM v1.2), approved under the CBCP framework: a science-based approach that tracks and quantifies ecosystem integrity by directly monitoring 56 indicator species, including endangered and vulnerable flora and fauna.
During validation, the Independent Expert Panel reviewed a comprehensive set of evidence, including legal land tenure records, species observation data with geotagged images, range analyses, and documented community consultations. Verification confirmed that all required data exist, are accessible, and meet CBCP criteria.
Biodiversity credits create direct economic incentives to protect, restore, and sustainably manage ecosystems. Unlike carbon credits, which measure greenhouse gas reductions, biodiversity credits reward verified ecological outcomes, such as species conservation, habitat integrity, and ecosystem resilience.
The Savimbo project addresses the main drivers of biodiversity loss in the region, such as deforestation, agricultural expansion, and illegal hunting. Indigenous peoples, although they represent a small part of the world’s population, manage a large proportion of the world’s remaining biodiversity, making their leadership and participation essential for achieving lasting conservation results.
Drea Burbank, MD-tecnóloga y Consejera Delegada de Savimbo, ha declarado: “Se ha acabado el tiempo. No podemos seguir analizando y acudiendo a conferencias como si eso fuera a resolver el problema. Necesitamos medidas inmediatas, y las personas mejor situadas para ello suelen ser las últimas en recibir financiación”.
By compensating communities for measurable biodiversity outcomes, the project reduces economic pressures to convert forests to agricultural land, promotes habitat connectivity, and supports complementary activities such as agroforestry, restoration, regenerative aquaculture, and environmental education.
The project’s pooled approach allows for the certification of multiple landowners under a single framework, with the potential to expand to neighboring Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. Its governance includes a Community Oversight Committee to ensure transparency, equitable benefit-sharing, and a formal grievance mechanism, in accordance with the safeguards of the Colombian Biodiversity Partnership (CBCP).
By aligning local actions with Colombia’s National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBAPs) and the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Savimbo Biodiversity Putumayo Project delivers immediate conservation benefits and supports national and international biodiversity commitments.
