Tree Aid project first to meet global standards for high-integrity carbon credits
29th May 2025
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We’re proud to share that our Tond Tenga project in Burkina Faso has just become the first in the world to be registered using a new, globally approved standard for high-quality carbon credits.
The project, which we’re leading in partnership with local communities, aims to restore more than 12,000 hectares of degraded land through native tree planting and agroforestry.
It’s now officially registered under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS), using Verra’s methodology for afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (VM0047) that was recently approved by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM).
This means that all the carbon credits the project generates will carry the Core Carbon Principles (CCP) label — a mark of trust and quality in the carbon market.
Tond Tenga is more than a carbon project — it’s a community-led solution to the climate and poverty crises. The name Tond Tenga means "our land" in the local Mooré language, reflecting the deep connection between people and nature in this part of West Africa.
In a region heavily affected by land degradation, deforestation, and the impacts of the climate crisis, the project supports smallholder farmers and communities to grow trees that restore soil, improve crop yields, and create new sources of income.
It also promotes sustainable land management, empowers women through training and leadership opportunities, and helps communities adapt to a changing climate. Our goal is to create long-term environmental and social resilience — building healthier landscapes and stronger futures for local people.
"Delivering the first project to be registered under the new VM0047 methodology is a fantastic achievement for Tree Aid. As an organisation that strongly believes in the complementary and synergistic role the voluntary carbon market can play in both ecosystem restoration and the livelihood development of communities on the frontline of climate change, we feel that this milestone is particularly meaningful.
"We are incredibly proud that our work, giving communities in Burkina Faso direct access to a share of income generated from carbon credits, is not only impactful but innovative. We hope the Tond Tenga project paves the way for more community-centred carbon projects going forward."
– Tom Skirrow, CEO, Tree Aid
To deliver this work, we’ve partnered with Earthshot Labs, whose expertise in nature-based solutions and project development has been vital to the success of Tond Tenga. Their support with technical design, monitoring, and carbon certification has helped ensure the project meets the highest environmental and scientific standards, while remaining grounded in the needs and knowledge of the local communities we serve.
This recognition is a major milestone, not just for Tree Aid but for the carbon market as a whole. It’s the first time a project has been registered using a methodology developed within the VCS program and approved by the ICVCM. It shows that carbon markets can deliver real climate benefits while also supporting communities and nature.
Crucially, this also underscores the importance of robust benefit-sharing mechanisms that protect the rights and interests of the communities who act as stewards of the restored landscapes—ensuring they are not just participants, but key beneficiaries of carbon finance.
Over the next 40 years, the Tond Tenga project is expected to remove over 3.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. At the same time, it will help improve people’s livelihoods, protect biodiversity, and promote gender equality across four regions in Burkina Faso.
If benefit-sharing mechanisms are designed to genuinely protect the rights of the communities who steward these landscapes, the sequestered carbon can generate profound income streams capable of driving transformational change for the communities we serve.
This is what climate action should look like — fair, effective, and community-led. We’re excited to be leading the way.