Human beings are not the only ones trying to stop the effects of global warming. Nature also has its own mechanisms to try to prevent the average temperature of the planet from continuing to increase. One of them are carbon sinks: natural reservoirs – such as oceans, forests and soils – that absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere, in some cases, converting it into oxygen. Through the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to “mitigate” emissions, and one way to achieve this is to increase the presence of carbon sinks on Earth.
Capture and convert more than 60 million tons of CO₂ in organic compounds through nature through high-impact restoration, conservation and sustainable management projects is the great challenge of the Carbon2Nature project. This is the company that Iberdrola presented this Wednesday, in Jaraíz de la Vera (Cáceres), with the mission of “reducing the global carbon footprint through actions based on nature, improving biodiversity and promoting a sustainable economy in the “for nature to be an essential lever for creating sustainable value,” according to the multienergetica.
Since its launch a year ago, Carbon2Nature (C2N) has had a global impact. It is getting closer to its emissions target thanks to the development of a global and diversified portfolio of conservation, management and restoration projects in various ecosystems. This range of initiatives (current and under negotiation) includes the planting of more than 20 million trees and the capture of more than 14 million tons of CO₂, with nearly 2 million trees already planted or in progress that will capture more than 800,000 tCO₂.
Global project, local focus
Carbon2Nature has 15 projects in development and more than 40 in study located in a total of 10 countries that include Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Australia. His initiatives include reforestation and sustainable management initiatives on more than 2,500 hectares in Spain and an important project in the Colombian Amazon that covers more than 5,000 hectares.
In addition, it is expanding into marine ecosystems with blue carbon projects, such as the restoration of mangroves in Mexico and an innovative pilot for the planting of Posidonia meadows (an aquatic plant that forms giant meadows under the sea) in Spain. In the line of innovation, a pilot project to avoid the emission of methane in livestock farming in Spain.
One of the flagships of the project is located in Extremadura, with «Vera Carbon2Nature». This name will be used to refer to the performance that will take place in the Cáceres region of La Vera, in the Dehesa Boyal. It will be the largest forestry project in Spain born through public-private collaboration in a forest of public utility and the first to be carried out in the long term (50 years).
This ambitious initiative will manage 1,499 hectares of pasture in Jaraíz de la Vera and will involve the planting of more than 700,000 trees on 467 hectares affected by degradation that will capture some 186,000 tons of CO₂. This restoration will be designed in well-studied phases, in which a major forest transformation is contemplated that includes planting holm oaks, cork oaks, hawthorn, ash and cabbage to enrich biodiversity. In addition, it will generate employment and maintain the traditional uses of extensive livestock farming and other valuable uses for the local community.
Innovation for the future
Iberdrola’s global director of innovation and sustainability, Agustín Delgado, highlights this project as an example of how Carbon2Nature seeks to “recover our ecosystems and even improve them from innovation and long-term sustainable management». They are “big projects that also add up,” he says. In this case, the planting of more than 700,000 trees “promotes a unique approach to sustainability and quality that benefits adjacent communities and maintains the traditional uses of the forest.”
The presentation was also attended by the Minister of the Presidency of the Government of Extremadura, Abel Bautista, the Minister of Forest Management, Ignacio Higuero, and the mayor of Jaraíz de la Vera, Luis Miguel Núñez, in addition to a wide representation of mayors from the regions. from the north of Cáceres.
In conclusion, Carbon2Nature – 100% owned by Iberdrola – reaffirms the energy company’s commitment to a sustainable model, pursuing the company’s goal of achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and a net positive impact on biodiversity by 2030. For financing, the company develops conservation, restoration and management projects that generate “high-quality carbon credits” in the carbon market, available to clients who also seek to achieve emissions net zero.
Carbon2Nature’s strategy focuses on regions and countries with significant potential for nature-based solutions, such as Latin America, Australia, Spain and other European countries. All projects are governed by principles of integrity, high long-term impact, innovation and collaboration, certified with internationally recognized quality standards.
Carbon2Nature has been launched through Iberdrola’s start-up program, PERSEO, which promotes innovative solutions to promote renewable energy, decarbonization, electrification of the economy, digitalization of networks, efficient storage and care for the environment. atmosphere.