INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Republic of the Congo : The planting of more than one million trees begins on the Batéké Plateaux
TOTALENERGIES
Supplied by Rare Woods SA
As part of its climate ambition , and in addition to its priority actions to avoid and reduce emissions , TotalEnergies works with many local partners around the world to develop and conserve natural carbon sinks , while helping to preserve their biodiversity .
On the occasion of the National Tree Planting Day in the Republic of the Congo , TotalEnergies has launched the " Batéké Carbon Sink " afforestation operations . This large-scale project , conducted in partnership with Forêt Ressources Management , consists of 40,000 hectares of planted forest on the Batéké Plateaux . Some 40 million trees will be planted in total over 10 years and cared for over 35 years .
During the past eight months , local tree nurseries have already produced more than one million plants , which will be progressively planted from the next rainy season on the 800 hectares of land that have been prepared since last summer .
" We are pleased to officially launch the Batéké Carbon Sink project , which is a concrete example of TotalEnergies ' commitment to the development of natural carbon sinks , along with others . We warmly thank the Republic of the Congo , whose support for the operation is essential , for its commitment to the preservation of forests and the promotion of afforestation activities ," said Nicolas Terraz , President
Exploration & Production at TotalEnergies . " TotalEnergies ' climate ambition is based on a panel of concrete actions , aiming first to prevent and then to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions , and finally to offset residual emissions . The planting of a new forest on the Batéké Plateaux is a concrete illustration of this approach , complementing all the other priority measures for preventing and reducing TotalEnergies ’ emissions ."
The 40,000 hectares planted will create a carbon sink that will sequester an average of 500,000 tons of CO 2 per year over twenty years , equivalent to the annual CO 2 emissions of an average European city of 70,000 inhabitants . The carbon credits will be certified in accordance with the Verified Carbon Standard ( VCS ).
The project , financed by TotalEnergies , includes agroforestry practices developed with the local communities for agricultural production and sustainable wood energy . It will create employment opportunities , with a positive impact on several thousand people . In addition , a local development fund will support health , nutritional and educational initiatives to benefit neighbouring villages .
10 DECEMBER 2021 / JANUARY 2022 // www . timberiq . co . za