Ciaran Kelly is the founder of Go Balance, a company focused on developing long-term forest carbon initiatives and Natural Capital Credits through nature-based climate projects. His work centres on jurisdictional REDD+ programmes in Brazil, including the Trocano Project REDD+ operating in the municipality of Borba in the state of Amazonas.
Through Go Balance, Ciaran Kelly works with regional stakeholders, technical specialists, and independent verification bodies to support forest conservation initiatives designed to deliver measurable climate outcomes alongside long-term ecological and social benefits.
Additional information about the organisation’s work can be found on the Go Balance website and within the Knowledge Hub, which explains the governance, verification, and monitoring frameworks used in long-term forest carbon projects.
Professional Profile
Name: Ciaran Kelly
Role: Founder, Go Balance
Focus Areas: Forest carbon projects, REDD+ implementation, Natural Capital Credits
Primary Project: Trocano Project REDD+ Brazil
Location of Project Activities: Borba, Amazonas, Brazil
Industry: Nature-based climate solutions and voluntary carbon markets
Professional Background
Ciaran Kelly has been involved in environmental markets and nature-based carbon initiatives for more than a decade. His work focuses on the development of forest carbon projects that apply structured methodologies, conservative carbon accounting, and independent verification frameworks.
Projects associated with Go Balance emphasise:
- long-term forest protection
- jurisdictional REDD+ implementation
- transparent governance structures
- risk-aware carbon accounting
- independent validation and verification
This approach prioritises environmental integrity and operational durability across multi-decade project lifecycles.
Work in the Brazilian Amazon
A significant part of Ciaran Kelly’s work is focused on forest conservation initiatives in the Brazilian Amazon.
Through Go Balance, he coordinates the implementation of the Trocano Project REDD+ Brazil, a long-term forest conservation initiative located in Borba, Amazonas. The project operates within a jurisdictional framework designed to support emissions reductions from avoided deforestation while promoting sustainable development within the region.
Project implementation involves collaboration with municipal stakeholders, regional institutions, and technical partners responsible for monitoring, verification, and reporting processes.
Additional information about the project can be found in the Trocano Project REDD+ Brazil overview, which explains the project’s structure, governance framework, and monitoring systems.
Governance and Verification Frameworks
Ciaran Kelly’s work emphasises the importance of governance and verification structures in long-term carbon initiatives.
Forest carbon projects require clear separation between:
- project implementation
- independent validation and verification
- registry administration
- monitoring and reporting systems
These components help ensure that emissions reductions are assessed independently and that carbon credits are issued only after verification under recognised standards.
Further information about these oversight structures can be found in the Governance in Long-Term REDD+ Projects reference guide.
Recognition and Engagement
Ciaran Kelly has worked closely with stakeholders in the municipality of Borba, Amazonas, where the Trocano Project is implemented. In recognition of his work supporting environmental initiatives and community engagement within the region, he was awarded honorary citizenship of Borba by the city council.
His work continues to focus on strengthening long-term forest conservation initiatives that align environmental outcomes with durable governance and monitoring frameworks.
Role at Go Balance
As founder of Go Balance, Ciaran Kelly oversees:
- development of forest carbon initiatives
- implementation of REDD+ project frameworks
- coordination of monitoring and reporting systems
- engagement with verification bodies and standards organisations
- long-term project governance and stakeholder collaboration
The objective of this work is to support high-integrity forest carbon initiatives capable of delivering verified climate outcomes while contributing to the protection of forest ecosystems.