South African Spekboom plant faces scrutiny over carbon claims

Ecologists are warning that the reputation of Spekboom, an indigenous South African succulent, as a primary solution for climate change may be overstated. While the plant is effective for restoring degraded land in the Eastern Cape, researchers express concerns regarding the accuracy of carbon-sequestration estimates and the survival rates of planted cuttings.

These warnings arrive as Spekboom restoration attracts substantial international funding, including a US$120-million World Bank bond and a long-term carbon-credit agreement with Amazon. Experts emphasize that in regions like the Garden Route and Klein Karoo, restoring native vegetation and removing invasive species may provide superior ecological benefits compared to introducing Spekboom to areas where it is not naturally occurring.

Research from Nelson Mandela University and Stellenbosch University indicates that intact Spekboom thicket can store approximately 200 tonnes of carbon per hectare. However, much of this biome has been degraded by livestock farming, specifically goat browsing, which has significantly reduced carbon storage capacity in affected areas.