Description.

Smallholders have an intimate relationship with nature, especially forests, drawing on them for subsistence, household energy and traditional medicine, while also facing high climate vulnerability. The negative climatic effects on agricultural land use, combined with limited livelihood options and reliance on fuelwood, can heighten pressure on forests, leading to conversion to farmland with associated greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss.

The SOCIALCARBON methodology provides a framework to quantify and reward the climate benefits of avoided deforestation and degradation on smallholder lands. Through robust GHG accounting and dynamic regional baselines, it ensures conservative crediting while directing incentives to smallholders via Social Carbon Units. By linking emissions reduction with sustainable livelihoods, the methodology empowers communities as key actors in forest conservation and climate resilience.