Compensate

Despite the fact that we innovate and reduce, CO₂ emissions will continue for the time being. These CO₂ emissions can, however, be compensated.

CO2 emission compensation

A vehicle emits greenhouse gases. We were already taught this at primary school: trees and shrubs need (the greenhouse gas) CO₂ for growth and produce oxygen. The solution is, therefore, simple: plant more trees and shrubs. This is what Kia Netherlands does by investing in the planting of Jatropha shrubs in Mali.

The Jatropha bush

Jatropha curcas (below simply referred to as Jatropha) belongs to the Euphorbiaceae family and is closely related to the rubber plant. Normally, the Jatropha bush is approximately 3 to 5 m high but under ideal conditions the shrub can achieve heights of 8 to 10 m. The flowers are visited by bees and the leaves have a length of 10 to 15 cm. The nuts ripen in the winter when the bush has lost its leaves (dry areas). Usually there are 1 to 2 crops but there can also be more crops in a year if the temperature is high enough and the plant gets sufficient water. The most important properties of the plant are that it can deal very well with droughts and that it can grow very quickly.

The Jatropha bush is used for fencing around fields, pastures and forests in small village communities. The plant prevents soil erosion by wind. It also protects cultivations against grazing animals such as goats because it is toxic.

A Jatropha bush requires nearly no water and, therefore, there is no competition when it comes to using drinking water. Jatropha bushes are planted together with crops and, therefore, do not represent a threat to normal food production.

Biodiesel

Oil is obtained by crushing and processing the Jatropha nuts, which can be used to produce biodiesel. Jatropha oil is an environmentally friendly, affordable sustainable energy source and can be used to replace diesel, paraffin, LPG, coal and wood. According to a report from the UN, developing countries such as Mali will no longer have the financial resources in the future to purchase expensive fossil oils. Biodiesel that is produced in Mali will, therefore, also be sold on the Malian market. This will mean that hundreds of thousands of litres of oil can be saved on a yearly basis that would otherwise have to be imported. This is good for the development of Mali and also for the climate because less fossil oil means fewer CO₂ emissions.

Project in Mali

The “Union Local des Societes Cooperatives de Producteurs du Pourghere de Koulikouro de Koulikouro”(ULSPP) farmers’ union plants Jatropha bushes in Mali on a large scale. The union is a co-shareholder of Mali Biocarburant S.A. This company has a factory in Koulikouro where the purchased Jatropha oil is processed to produce biodiesel. Overall, approximately 4,000 farmers are involved, 50 nurseries are being set up and the same number of people is being trained as administrators and consultants for the planting.

5 information officials also supervise the farmers and the collection of nuts and the local production offers jobs to approximately 10 people. Various organisations (including Trees for Travel, the ULSPP farmers’ union and the Royal Dutch Tropical Institute) are involved in this project and are in charge of supervision and expansion.

Income for farmers

The revenue produced by the Jatropha oil is for the benefit of the local community. The Jatropha nut is harvested during the December to March period. During this time of the year, there is nearly no activity with regard to the fields in this area. Farmers and, especially, female farmers, who collect the nuts, thus, have an additional source of income during a period when they would normally be scrapping the bottom of the barrel to make ends meet.

Three birds with one stone

This set up, therefore, kills three birds with one stone:

• CO₂ compensation;
• Biodiesel production to replace fossil diesel;
• Extra income for farmers and, therefore, commitment.