Samauma’s Tauari Project Receives BeZero Carbon Rating; The Highest Currently Assigned to an AUD Project

Samauma and Equitable Earth today announced that the Tauari avoided unplanned deforestation (AUD) project, located in the state of Acre, Brazil, has received a pre-issuance BeZero rating of ‘A.pre’ with low project execution risk, the highest rating currently assigned to an AUD project. The result provides independent, market-facing recognition of the project’s integrity.

This is the first A.pre rating among publicly available AUD project ratings and, most notably, Tauari is also the first AUD project to achieve an ‘aa’ risk score for additionality, alongside ‘a’ risk scores for carbon accounting and permanence, setting a new benchmark for integrity among AUD projects. 

Protecting 98,057.89 hectares of Amazon rainforest in Tarauacá, Acre, Tauari is one of the state's largest forest conservation projects. The project works with local families to strengthen a forest-based economy and support sustainable economic independence, connecting long-term forest protection with local livelihoods.

The project is progressing through certification under Equitable Earth's M002 methodology for AUD projects. The methodology uses jurisdictional risk mapping to set project baselines, built and maintained in-house using the most current data available, and independently selected validation and verification bodies to audit project performance.

STATEMENT — Nicolas Londoño, CEO, Samauma

“This recognition positions Tauari among the strongest AUD projects in the market. The ‘aa’ assessment for additionality is especially meaningful, as it reflects not only the strength of the project’s climate case but also the commitment built with surrounding communities and stakeholders to make long-term forest conservation viable. Together with ‘a’ assessments for carbon accounting and permanence, and an overall ‘A.pre’ rating with low project execution risk, it provides powerful independent validation of Tauari’s integrity. We are also pleased to see Equitable Earth’s M002 establishing a new high-integrity pathway for AUD projects, and proud that Tauari is progressing through it. We are excited to be part of this new generation of forest carbon projects.”

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STATEMENT — Thibault Sorret, CEO, Equitable Earth

"This landmark rating is a significant achievement for Tauari and an encouraging signal for conservation more broadly. The project embodies the scale of commitment we believe is needed to protect the Amazon while creating lasting economic opportunities with local stakeholders. Equitable Earth was created to give projects with exactly this level of ambition a rigorous pathway to certification and unlocking carbon finance, and enable lasting impact for climate, nature and people. We are proud to be working with Samauma as Tauari progresses through certification under the Equitable Earth Standard.”

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ABOUT THE TAUARI PROJECT

The Tauari Project is a private-land REDD+ forest-conservation initiative in Tarauacá, Acre. It seeks to avoid unplanned deforestation and degradation while supporting biodiversity conservation, territorial governance and local livelihoods. Tauari has completed Equitable Earth’s Feasibility Phase and is now undergoing Project Design, listed on their registry under Project ID 2001.

Across the broader landscape, the project engages five rural communities comprising approximately 340 households and 2,000 people. Its activities create economic incentives for environmental services, alongside support for sustainable production, market access and essential community services. The Land-Tenure Integration Program also supports the voluntary donation and formal transfer of eligible occupied plots to participating good-faith occupants, strengthening tenure security and sustainable land use.

ABOUT SAMAUMA

Samauma is a Brazilian company and the proponent, developer and landowner of the Tauari Project. Samauma leads the project’s forest-conservation, territorial-governance, stakeholder-engagement and sustainable-land-use activities, seeking to deliver measurable benefits for climate, biodiversity and local livelihoods. 

ABOUT BEZERO CARBON

BeZero Carbon is a global carbon ratings agency. Its independent ratings, risk tools and datasets equip world-leading organisations with the knowledge and confidence to make better climate decisions. It aims to scale climate impact through carbon markets.