Removall and Blue Forest partner to finance the largest mangrove reforestation project in Africa

• Removall will fully fund the first phase of the MOZBLUE mangrove restoration project in Mozambique.
• Located in the Zambezia and Sofala provinces, the project aims to restore and conserve 155,000 hectares of mangroves with the participation of local community members, generating over 5,000 jobs.
• Phase 1 will restore the first 5,000 hectares of the project, planting only native mangrove species.
• The project, implemented according to the CCB and VCS VM0033 methodologies, will sequester nearly 3 million tons of CO2 equivalent in its first phase.
• Removall will be the selling partner of the high-quality carbon credits generated by the project.

As Climate Week 2024 takes place this week, Removall and Blue Forest are announcing their partnership to fund the largest mangrove restoration project ever undertaken in Africa, located in Mozambique.

Mangroves are considered one of the world’s most effective carbon sinks, providing a vital ecosystem in the fight against climate change. The aerial roots of these trees help stabilize coastal areas, protecting them from erosion and rising sea levels, while offering a refuge for rare biodiversity.

With it’s nearly 2,000km of coastline, Mozambique is home to the largest mangrove forest in East Africa, which has been degraded over the years by deforestation.

The ambitious MOZBLUE project, developed over the past three years, aims to restore and conserve 155,000 hectares of mangroves that are essential to preserving coastal ecosystems and biodiversity.

This partnership reflects the shared vision of both companies to accelerate the deployment of nature-based solutions that have both a positive impact on the climate and a significant impact on ecosystems and local communities.

This vision translates into a shared ambition to restore 1,000,000 hectares of degraded mangroves and forests over the next decade, sequestering 20,000,000 tons of CO2 equivalent through their whole lifecycle and creating over 30,000 jobs.

Blue Forest will be responsible for the overall coordination of the project through its Mozambican subsidiary and local team.
Removall will act as both investor and selling partner of the high-quality carbon credits generated by the project.

Planting will begin at the end of the year in collaboration with recognized local partners who are experts in both mangrove planting and working with local communities to implement income-generating community activities.

In addition to its decisive environmental impact, the first phase of the project will create over 700 direct jobs and multiple indirect jobs, reaching over 50 local communities, which represent more than 40,000 people. Through an innovative and ambitious benefit-sharing scheme, the project will also fund income-generating community activities such as the cultivation of alternative wood to mangroves, fishing, farming, livestock, and beekeeping.

Jérôme Beilin, CEO and Co-Founder of Removall, said:

« We are very pleased to partner with Blue Forest and fund the deployment of the MOZBLUE project, which is the largest mangrove restoration project in Africa, but also, and above all, a carbon finance project with a high impact on biodiversity and communities. Alongside my Co-Founder, Patrick Demaegdt, we are convinced that carbon finance is an effective tool for bringing large-scale, innovative climate projects to life, enabling the restoration of severely degraded ecosystems that play a key role in mitigating and adapting to climate change. Through this project, we will also enable committed companies to contribute to the transition to a net-zero carbon world. »

Vahid Fotuhi, CEO and Founder of Blue Forest, added:

« Mangrove restoration in Mozambique represents a unique opportunity to generate environmental, social, and economic benefits over many decades. We are excited to work with Removall to amplify the impact of this flagship project. We are grateful to the Government of Mozambique for entrusting us with this opportunity and for providing us with valuable guidance from day one. »