Removing CO2: Not Just About Carbon - Rewind Co-Benefits

Our mission is to rewind the carbon balance on earth and mitigate the climate crisis. However, our approach extends beyond carbon removal, as we see potential social and environmental benefits to communities and ecosystems in almost everything we do. Our supply chain will span agriculture, forestry, the sea, processing centers, and ground and marine transportation. From creating high quality jobs, to promoting education and best practices, we aspire to add value and align with the UN’s SDGs.

What are SDGs, or Sustainable Development Goals?

In 2015, all United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the UN Sustainable Development Summit. At the center of this plan are 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that act as a call to action, bringing together all countries under a global partnership. The SDGs showed the world that addressing human struggles, such as poverty and education go hand-in-hand with combating climate change. 

Hi Rewind, Remind Me What You Do?

We store organic matter in the anoxic Black Sea, providing opportunities for individuals and companies to counter their carbon emissions. We also provide safe storage for unused agriculture residue (a waste management problem), for river runoff (which creates water pollution in the beaches and river deltas of the Black Sea), and for forest ground biomass (which is a fire hazard). As we scale our solution, we will interact with thousands of farmers and forest managers, hundreds of packaging centers, thousands of truck drivers, dozens of ports and ships, and several deep sea storage sites. 

While our solution will significantly impact the climate, environment and surrounding communities in a positive way, let’s see which SDGs align most closely with our work. 

Mission Aligned SDGs and Co-benefits

Integral to Rewind’s roadmap, we plan to promote several SDGs. Accomplishing these goals will also bring about various benefits for the communities, their economies, and the individuals living within them. These SDGs and their respective benefits include:

• 📘 SDG 4: Quality Education → As a startup, we are dedicated to collaborating with NGOs and local communities, developing educational initiatives that empower the younger generation in climate action. Our mission is to cultivate a just society by empowering communities with the necessary knowledge and skills for a sustainable future.

• 💼 SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth → Our collaboration will create more job opportunities in various sectors while ensuring fair wages. In fact, 80% of the carbon removal revenue will be divided amongst various stakeholders in the local supply chain, including the local government. As we scale our solution, we will create economic growth in a variety of sectors on a multinational level: agriculture/forestry, logistic sites, truck drivers, maritime, seaports, marine maintenance, and technology.

• ⚖️ SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities → While carrying out our goals we recognize the importance of ensuring equitable access to project benefits, meaning that disadvantaged communities will not be left behind. We will contribute to a just transition through working with the Black Sea region, assisting communities with jobs, education, and access to technology. 

• 🌱 SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production → Another goal we have is to support environmentally sustainable practices, such as regenerative agriculture and forestry, to promote sustainable food systems that benefit the environment and the public. When we collaborate with farmers, we will provide solutions to farming that ensure they are treating their land in a sustainable way.
  
  
• 🐠 SDG 14: Life Below Water: Moreover, in certain regions, like Georgia, conservation problems exist caused by large amounts of wood blocking the dams. This driftwood is dangerous for the marine ecosystem, as it stays in the oxygen level of the water. We aim to collect this wood and store it safely at the bottom of the sea. 

• 🌳 SDG 15: Life on Land: Additionally, we will help mitigate potential wildfires through forest maintenance practices. By focusing on areas where residual wood accumulates and poses  a wildfire risk, our biomass collection will help tame wildfires. 

• 🤝 SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals → Regional climate research and development is very important to us. We actively collaborate with local research institutions, particularly around the Black Sea, fostering interdisciplinary Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) research and capacity-building within the community. Much of the current research being completed in these institutes is not directly focused on climate actions. We want to reach this goal by elevating our joint research on these topics. Currently, we maintain an open dialogue with social and environmental NGOs across the region and have established the Black Sea Climate Roundtable. This initiative promotes research and collaboration with leading scientists and policymakers on climate change.

Next Steps

As we at Rewind progress, our focus extends beyond carbon removal to fostering sustainable communities and ecosystems, particularly around the Black Sea. Our approach integrates environmental and social benefits, aiming to transform local economies and promote global environmental leadership. We invite you to join us on our mission to restore balance to the ecosystem we live in.

If you are a: 

• 👩🔬 Marine scientist and would like to join the Black Sea Climate RoundtableMarine scientist and would like to join the Black Sea Climate Roundtable
• 👨🌾 Farmer or forest manager interested in increasing sustainability
• 🦸 Environmental activists who want to promote climate education and awareness
• 🧑🏻💼 Donors or investors who would like to join us in supporting local communities

‍

Contact us, and let’s collaborate!