The Association of Responsible Deployers (ARD) is a collaborative body that brings together large estates and small farmer networks to foster collaboration, share insights, and drive deployment of our carbon removal projects. By uniting estate management, labor unions, and industry experts, we aim to coordinate activities and address structural land and labor disparities.
At Alt Carbon, meaningful engagement with local communities is at the heart of our mission. Our Vigyaan Krishi Sabhas (VKS) are periodic town halls held at our deployment sites, in collaboration with women’s Self-Help Groups, local Panchayats, and Workers Unions at the tea estates. These Sabhas foster open, two-way dialogue between our team and community members.
At our deployment sites in Darjeeling, the workforce is predominantly made up of women, and over 80% hailing from tribal communities. These groups possess vital knowledge about local agriculture, ecology, and climate adaptation. By incorporating insights from these communities, we ensure that their voices are heard and their expertise informs our project decisions.
At Alt Carbon, we are committed to creating sustainable jobs at our deployment sites. We focus on two areas: Blue-collar green jobs for those involved in deployment and sampling activities, and high-quality research positions at our upcoming geochemistry lab in Darjeeling. Further, our Darjeeling-Climate Action Lab (D-CAL) will be a hub for cutting-edge climate research, building a skilled workforce to support our mission.
The Darjeeling tea gardens are home to diverse ecosystems, from mixed bamboo, riverine areas, tea plantations, and dense forests, to edge zones, and scrubs. To preserve this biodiversity, we partner with institutions like the University of North Bengal, Sikkim University, and NMHS to document and conserve local species.
We’re conducting a comprehensive survey on the Health Impact & Quality of Life. By blending climate action with development studies, we aim to track improvements in health, well-being, and income throughout the Darjeeling Revival Project, scaling this assessment as we expand to new sites.