Velux

The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...

Zimbabwe

20-YEAR PARTNERSHIP PROTECTING FORESTS FOR CLIMATE, NATURE, AND PEOPLE

In September 2020, WWF and the VELUX Group launched an ambitious partnership, which commits the company to take responsibility for both its past and future emissions.

The innovative partnership focuses on the conservation and restoration of forests through a number of projects around the globe and the partnership simultaneously aims at enhancing biodiversity and improving the livelihood of local communities.

Nature is in crisis and climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced. Tackling it involves every single one of us, and governments and businesses need to commit to more ambitious action to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The VELUX Group has joined the Science Based Targets initiative, committing to reduce its own CO2 emissions as well as emissions from its entire value chain. This is in line with what climate science points out is necessary to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Through forest projects developed and driven by WWF, the VELUX Group will capture at least 4.5 million tonnes of CO2e, equivalent to the historical CO2 emissions of VELUX Group since it was founded in 1941 and until its 100-year anniversary in 2041 (scope 1 and 2).

In addition to the partnership with WWF, the VELUX Group is furthermore committed to reducing its own carbon footprint by 100% and halving its value chain emission by 2030.

OLD TREES – NEW IDEAS

Healthy forests are crucial for both planet and people. Forests keep the climate stable, absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, regulate water supply and improve the quality of water. Furthermore, they are home to more than half of all species found on land and to a variety of life that keeps natural systems running.

Our forests are in a crisis. According to the UN, 88,000 sq. km of natural forest is lost every year – equivalent to the size of London every week. And only 17 per cent of the remaining valuable forest is being protected.

Fortunately, nature itself has solutions to combat these challenges. By storing CO2 in old tropical forests with a high density of threatened species, we can fight climate change while saving our planet’s valuable biodiversity.

FOREST PROJECTS IN THE PARTNERSHIP

The partnership between WWF and VELUX consists of three forest projects in Uganda, Viet Nam and Madagascar as of now.

Natural Forest Regeneration and Protection, Uganda

The partnership's first forest project is located in Uganda. The project aims to restore degraded forests, plant new trees and protect the existing natural forests through a range of initiatives. It is expected that the project will capture 1 million tonnes of CO2.

The project in Uganda spans approx. 28,000 ha in the Ugandan part of one of the world's most biodiversity hotspots, the Albertine Rift, which stretches over six countries in East Africa. This area is severely affected by deforestation due to the need for farmland, timber, and charcoal. One of the worst affected areas, Kagombe in Uganda, has seen a deforestation rate of 73% in the past decade.

The forest project in Uganda is in the implementation phase and more than 180,000 trees have now been planted. A number of alternative livelihood activities have as well been initiated. This includes for instance beekeeping, which will support and improve local communities' livelihood.

Reviving the silent forests of Viet Nam

The partnership's second forest project is in Vietnam. The project area is in the Tay Giang district in the mountainous Central Annamites Landscape of western central Viet Nam.

The biodiversity rich area is home to 64 species of mammal. Among these is one of the world's rarest, the saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis). By undertaking efforts to reduce poaching and snaring and improve and increase forest cover, the project is expected to create a healthier and more connected habitat for the region’s rich flora and fauna.

The project focuses on restoring degraded forests and it is expected to contribute to reductions and removals of more than 2 million tonnes of CO2.

Restoring the mangroves of Madagascar

The third forest project of the partnership is located in the Manambolo – Tsiribihina landscape in western Madagascar. The area is classified as the wetland of international importance due to its unique coastal biodiversity. Mangroves in this landscape are critical for supporting small-scale fisheries and crab fishing which sustain the local population and provide vital natural protection against storms and cyclones that hit the island nation.

Madagascar’s mangroves are home to at least 18 threatened animal species such as the Madagascar fish eagle and the Malagazy sacred ibis. The protection and restoration of the mangrove ecosystems are expected to improve the situation for the endangered fauna. The project is expected to contribute to reductions and removals of more than 0.5 million tonnes of CO2

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE

Our planet is facing a dual climate and biodiversity crisis. People and nature worldwide are already feeling the effects of climate change. Water supplies are shrinking, extreme weather events are increasing, forests are burning, and coral reefs are dying. According to IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) around a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction.

But nature loss is also a business risk, as it can interrupt supply chains and result in companies losing their license to operate. On the other hand, nature itself provides the solutions to the threats we have put upon it.

Nature-based solutions use nature to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help society adapt to the impacts of climate change. They involve protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing the ecosystems we all depend on. Accelerating action to halt the nature crisis is our only opportunity to secure a sustainable supply of resources in the future. Our global economy and individual businesses have much to gain by developing economic models that function in harmony with our planet.

A PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION

The global tree restoration potential is about 25% of the total emitted CO2 to the planetary atmosphere. Safeguarding forests and halting deforestation can effectively help achieve targets set out under the Paris Agreement and help limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Through this innovative 20-year partnership, WWF wants to spread hope and inspire companies to follow the example of the VELUX Group who is taking responsibility for both their future and past environmental impacts.

WWF seeks to work with those who have the greatest potential to reduce the biggest pressures on the diversity of life on earth and together find solutions to conservation challenges such as deforestation, overfishing, water scarcity and climate change. That’s why we work constructively with businesses in a variety of ways – from forming strategic partnerships with shared goals, to campaigning together, engaging employees and inspiring customers.