La Vera Carbon2Nature: Iberdrola Launches Major Reforestation Project in Jaraíz de la Vera

(From left to right) Beatriz Crisóstomo, Director of Innovation at Iberdrola; Luis Miguel Núñez, Mayor of Jaraíz de la Vera; Abel Bautista, Minister of the Presidency of the Regional Government of Extremadura; Ignacio Higuero, Minister of Forestry Management; Agustín Delgado, Iberdrola’s Global Director of Innovation and Sustainability; Miguel Ángel García Tamargo, Director of Carbon2Nature; David Martín Arevalillo, Iberdrola’s institutional delegate in Extremadura and Araceli de Carlos, Head of Carbon Markets, Carbon2Nature.

(IN BRIEF) Iberdrola has launched the “La Vera Carbon2Nature” project in Jaraíz de la Vera, Spain, aiming to manage 1,499 hectares of pastureland over 50 years. The project involves planting more than 700,000 trees to restore a dehesa ecosystem and capture 186,000 tonnes of CO2. This initiative is part of Iberdrola’s broader Carbon2Nature program, which seeks to sequester over 60 million tonnes of CO2 globally through nature-based solutions. The project integrates sustainable forestry practices, supports local economies, and aligns with Iberdrola’s sustainability goals.

(PRESS RELEASE) BILBAO, 20-Jun-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — In a significant environmental initiative, the “La Vera Carbon2Nature” project has been unveiled in Jaraíz de la Vera, Cáceres, marking a pioneering effort in sustainable forestry management. Spanning 1,499 hectares of pastureland, the project aims to restore and preserve the valuable dehesa ecosystem by planting over 700,000 trees. This ambitious endeavor, which extends over a 50-year period, is expected to capture approximately 186,000 tonnes of CO2.

Iberdrola, the driving force behind Carbon2Nature (C2N), launched the initiative a year ago with a mission to sequester more than 60 million tonnes of CO2 globally through nature-based solutions. The company’s approach involves diverse conservation, management, and restoration projects across various ecosystems, leveraging tools such as carbon markets to ensure high standards of impact and integrity.

The La Vera project stands out as the largest public-private forestry initiative in Spain focused on a public forest, designed to integrate sustainable practices while supporting local livelihoods and traditional land uses. It includes a comprehensive reforestation plan featuring holm and cork oaks, alongside transitional and biodiversity-enhancing species.

Agustín Delgado, Iberdrola’s global director of innovation and sustainability, emphasized the project’s significance in advancing Carbon2Nature’s mission. He highlighted the collaborative efforts with local authorities to enhance ecosystems sustainably, while also creating economic opportunities for nearby communities.

The project’s unveiling in Jaraíz de la Vera was attended by regional government officials and local leaders, underscoring its importance in regional environmental and economic strategies. Carbon2Nature continues to expand its portfolio across multiple countries, focusing on impactful nature-based solutions to combat climate change and promote biodiversity, adhering to rigorous international standards.

Operating under Iberdrola’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040 and enhance biodiversity by 2030, Carbon2Nature exemplifies the company’s dedication to sustainable development through innovation and responsible stewardship of natural resources.

Carbon2Nature

Carbon2Nature is a company wholly owned by Iberdrola and follows the energy company’s commitment to a sustainable model based on two priority objectives: achieving zero net emissions in all scopes by 2040 and a net positive impact on biodiversity by 2030.

Thus, with a global vision, but focusing on the local level, the company is developing long-term conservation, restoration and sustainable nature management projects with a high climatic, environmental and social impact.

These projects generate “high quality carbon credits” that Carbon2Nature will make available to its clients to support them on their path to net zero emissions, within its ambitious decarbonisation strategies.

The action plan focuses on regions and countries where Iberdrola is present and where nature-based solutions have significant potential, with a focus on Latin American countries such as Brazil, Mexico and Colombia, as well as Australia, Spain and other European countries such as Portugal, the United Kingdom and Sweden.

Projects are governed by the triple I approach: integrity, impact and innovation.  All will be certified against internationally/nationally recognised quality standards. These will validate their contribution to climate change, biodiversity enhacement, local communities’ well being and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Iberdrola launched Carbon2Nature through its start-up programme, PERSEO, which has helped the utility to implement innovative solutions to promote renewables, decarbonisation and electrification of the economy, digitisation of grids and efficient storage and care for the environment.

Media Contacts:

Tel: +34 91 784 32 32
comunicacioncorporativa@iberdrola.es

SOURCE: Iberdrola