Klima DAO

Motivation Given the current market conditions and the increasing demand for nature-based carbon removal solutions, this proposal offers KlimaDAO an excellent opportunity to invest in a project with high social, economic, and environmental impacts while expanding the on-chain carbon ecosystem.

Project Overview The GroFoundation (GRO) project’s goal is to re-establish natural biodiversity by restoring forest reserves, pocket forests and riverlands. The core concept of the GRO methodology is to work with communities at a grassroots level and incentivize them to plant the trees and act as stewards for the entire project duration. GRO achieves this by funding water and food security projects, rural electrification as well as schools , orphanages and skill centers for education and training. Finally, communities participate in profits from carbon sales and receive microfinance for livelihood projects.

Project Co-Benefits GRO prides itself in focusing on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) impact and directly collaborates with Local UN Departments. Their methodology is geared towards maximizing social impact for participating communities. In their words: “Initially we focus on infrastructure for water and food security. This gives communities time to “think”. Next, we focus on rural electrification and skills development with special care for orphans, youth and women gaining applicable vocational skills and entrepreneurial training. Finally, we provide unsecured microfinance for livelihood projects in exchange for protecting our trees. Teaching a man to fish is not enough. We want this man or woman to have a boat, a fishing rod, and a fishing net. We want him to catch enough fish so that another person can afford a truck just to transport them to market for sale with enough supply that a third person can open a fish restaurant and a fourth person industrialize fish to multiple other products for export. This is how we beat poverty.” Relevant SDGs impacted by this project include SDG 1) No Poverty; 8) Decent Work and Economic Growth; 10) Reduced Inequalities; 13) Climate Action; and 15) Life on Land.

Partnership Co-Benefits GRO offers multiple ways for collaboration beyond purchasing carbon certificates. -They offer white label solutions for companies to join them in their social impact initiatives, as well as for direct tree planting. These are options that could be made available via KlimaDAO’s website or via Carbonmark. -GRO has indicated interest in listing additional credits in the Klima ecosystem, either via liquidity pools or via direct listing on Carbonmark. -Gro has indicated interest in developing case studies leveraging digital carbon in various industry working groups.

Project Media See RFC: GRO Foundation ARR Project Funding https://forum.klimadao.finance/d/281-rfc-gro-foundation-arr-project-funding Proposal Purchase of 15,151 ex-ante credits for 250,000 ($16.50/credit). These ex-ante credits would be delivered in Q1 2024 and converted to ex-post (spot) credits as verification is completed for the following vintage years: 2024: 309.09 credits 2025: 1010.61 credits 2026: 2371.21 credits 2027: 4610.61 credits 2028: 6850.00 credits

Polling Period The polling process begins now and will end on Thursday, December 7th. Assuming the snapshot proposal is approved, the proposal will be closed.

Purchase 15,151 ex-ante credits issued via the ICR Registry from GroFoundation, expected to be delivered in Q1 2024, at $16.50/credit (total investment: $250,000)?