Carbon Stock Accounting of the Standing Forest of Príncipe Island

The Opportunity

The forest ecosystems of Príncipe Island are an important environmental asset, with a high capacity for carbon storage, biodiversity conservation and the generation of ecosystem services.

Valuing these natural assets creates opportunities to support conservation strategies, develop sustainable financing models, strengthen territorial management and promote better-informed environmental and climate policies.

In this context, the project demonstrates the potential of natural capital accounting as a strategic tool to support decision-making and sustainable development in island and environmentally sensitive territories.

Our Approach

The project combined fieldwork, forest inventory, spatial analysis, drone photogrammetric surveys, territorial mapping and biomass and carbon modelling.

The methodology applied included defining sampling units, surveying and stratifying vegetation cover, phytosociological analysis, quantifying biomass and carbon, producing maps and systematising environmental and territorial information.

This approach brought together technical knowledge, fieldwork and methodologies aligned with the international SEEA framework, through collaboration between the Regional Government of Príncipe and the various technical and institutional partners involved in surveying, analysing and valuing the environmental assets of Príncipe Island.

Impact

The project made it possible to quantify approximately 6.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent associated with the forest ecosystems of Príncipe Island, creating a strategic basis for future conservation, climate finance and sustainable land management initiatives.

Beyond its technical and scientific component, the project helped to strengthen knowledge of local ecosystems, support spatial planning processes, value the island’s natural capital and promote sustainable solutions that benefit local communities.

Results

The project demonstrated the strategic potential of valuing natural capital as an instrument to support sustainable development and the territorial management of the Autonomous Region of Príncipe.

Among the main results and opportunities identified are the creation of conditions to support processes of national debt reduction or renegotiation, a stronger ability to attract financing for sustainable projects, and better international financial positioning, enabling greater investment autonomy and access to new climate finance mechanisms.

The assessment made it possible to estimate a potential certified value of approximately €152,260,764.00, based on a reference value of €25/t CO₂eq.