Partner for development and climate action

Profile & Contact

Ubá Sustainability Institute is a social business founded in 2020 to promote sustainability in its broad sense. Specialized in climate finance and Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES). Ubá has more than 15 projects in the pipeline and supported the commercialization of over 8 million tons of CO2e. Our initiatives focus on agroforestry, forest restoration, REDD+, mangroves, and blue carbon. Ubá combines more than 20 years of experience from its founders with a commitment to transparency and fair benefit-sharing. Our work is to build long term programmes from empirical knowledge together with grassroots organizations and corporates, creating the bridges to a successful fair, and sustainable journey. It is part of the UNFCCC Climate Neutral Now initiative and a member of major Brazilian climate and forest coalitions. In 2023, it was recognized as Best Sustainability Business by Corporate LiveWire and was nominated to the Earthshot Prize from British royal family.

96 Rue Paradis
13006 Marseille
France

+33 6 40 41 24 30 / +55 16 99 609 5146

marinagavaldao@ubainstitute.com

Open website

Specifications

Project countries and regions:

Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean

Project sectors:

Afforestation, forest or peatland conservation

Co-benefits/Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 1 – No Poverty, SDG 2 – Zero Hunger, SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-being, SDG 4 – Quality Education, SDG 5 – Gender Equality, SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 – Climate Action, SDG 14 – Life below Water, SDG 15 – Life on Land, SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals

Target group:

Local communities, Other

Employed project standards:

Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) + Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS)

Legal form:

Commercial

Portfolio:

Own climate protection projects:

Offers and services:

Tailored CO2e footprint accounting, Projects with a biodiversity focus

Specific features:

PROJECT EXAMPLE

Biriba Instance, Ana Primavesi – Sustainable farming & restoration program

Project background

This program aims to implement three plantation models with the families of small to medium farmers, including “assentados” in Brazil in the state of São Paulo and Bahia.
Assentados: Brazilian name for rural workers that live in ‘assentamentos rurais’, which designate lands that result from the agrarian reform conducted thanks to the efforts of social movements.

Forest restoration is being conducted mainly in riparian areas, and agroforestry systems models are highly diversified and includes native trees and emblematic products such as cocoa and coffee, and more than 180 native species. The Programme is based on the capacity building of families in agroforestry and agroecological practices, especially through the participation of women from the implementation to the monitoring of the systems.

Country/Region

Atlantic Forest and Cerrado, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil

Technology

Nature Based Solutions

Standard

Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) + Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS)

Status and duration

Start: 2025, Duration: 40 years

Target group

Families of small to medium farmers, including “assentados” in Brazil in the state of São Paulo and Bahia.

Effect achieved

Estimated 516,000 t CO₂ equivalent over 30 years

Co-benefits achieved

Among the project’s co-benefits, we can highlight the increase in native vegetation cover in biomes with the highest population density and water demand, as well as positive impacts related to climate change mitigation and adaptation. In addition, the project contributes to the enhancement of ecosystem service provision and the strengthening of organizational linkages among cooperatives and supply chains.

Local cooperation partners

The development of the project involves permanent cooperation with local and public institutions. Since the start of the Project, we have already engaged with National Institute for Agrarian Reform and Colonization (INCRA), Integral Technical Assistance Coordination (CATI), Brazilian Enterprise for Agrarian Research, River Basin Committes, rural unions and municipalities, local nurseries and inputs suppliers.

Link to further project examples