The Genesis Forest Project

Through the Genesis Forest Project, Hyundai is supporting the conservation and creation of forests through a variety of channels by implementing one of the most unique and comprehensive carbon offset programs in the world.

What is the Genesis Forest Project?
The Genesis Forest Project is one of the first voluntary carbon offset purchases that aids an avoided deforestation project, allows consumers to contribute to the expansion of a specific project, and is the only program to offer grants to create new projects that will enable other corporations to more easily follow Hyundai’s lead.

Here’s what it includes:

• Offsetting the carbon emissions of every new 2009 Genesis sold for its first full year on the road by supporting a reforestation and avoided deforestation project located in Brazil.
• Enabling members of the Hyundai community, as well as interested individuals to calculate their carbon footprint and offset it by planting trees in the Genesis Forest Project.
• Financially supporting the work of the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Alliance in its mission to develop rigorous standards to validate projects with positive climate, community, and biodiversity impacts.
• Sponsoring the Hyundai Climate Grants program to award three $35,000 grants to project developers to create new forestry carbon-offset projects designed to meet the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standards.

Located in Tocantins State in central Brazil, the Genesis Forest Project will offset 93,170 metric tons of CO2 through the permanent conservation and reforestation of more than 3,000 acres of tropical forest using the Social Carbon™ methedology.

Where is the Genesis Forest?
It’s in the Cerrado region of Brazil, which is classified as a Biodiversity Hotspot, featuring a wide array of unique plant and animal species including the giant anteater, giant armadillo, jaguar, and maned wolf. With less than 2% of the region protected in national parks and conservation areas, this area is threatened by the expansion of agriculture for soy and corn as well as cattle ranching. Hyundai’s commitment will reduce deforestation as well as plant native trees to increase habitat, which will offset emissions over the next 40 years.

Following the guidelines of Social Carbon™ the Genesis Forest will be a model for sustainable development for the region adding to the forest’s value as a carbon offset. The project will be open to local communities and will provide educational workshops to promote the utilization of non-timber products such as oils, native fruits, and honey. These practices can ultimately reduce pressure on remaining forests in the region by promoting economically attractive alternatives to clearing forest for agriculture.

The Genesis Forest Project is designed to meet the Climate, Community, and Biodiversity Standards. The CCB Standards promote high quality carbon offset projects with significant social and biodiversity benefits.