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Iberdrola has presented Carbon2Nature at an event held in Jaraíz de la Vera (Cáceres). This company was born a year ago to reduce the global carbon footprint through nature-based actions, improving biodiversity and promoting a sustainable economy in which nature is a key lever for creating sustainable value.

Since its launch, the company contiues to advance in its mission to capture and sequester more than 60 million tonnes of CO₂ in natural sinks, thanks to the development of a global and diversified portfolio of conservation, management and restoration projects in various ecosystems. To finance its proyects, the company uses carbon markets, among other tools, and applies an approach that guarantees the highest standards of integrity, long-term positive impact and is committed to innovation and collaboration.  

In one year, Carbon2Nature already has fifteen projects under development and over 40 under study in ten countries, with a focus on Spain, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia and Australia. Its strategy focuses on forestry projects on reforestation and sustainable management, with more than eleven on-going projects in Spain covering an area of over 2,500 ha, and another in the Colombian Amazon covering more than 5,000 ha. 

The company is also positioning in projects  in marine ecosystems known as blue carbon projects, developing a mangrove restoration project in Mexico and a pioneering pilot project for planting Posidonia meadows in Spain. In its line of innovation, it also has an on-going pilot project to avoid methane in livestock farming in Spain. 

In total, its portfolio of on-going projects involves nearly 2 million trees planted or to be planted that will capture more than 800,000 tonnes of CO₂. In addition, there is a large portfolio under negotiation that would involve the planting of more than 20 million trees and the capture of more than 14 million tonnes of CO₂.  

"La Vera Carbon2Nature: Planting of more than 700,000 trees on 1,499 ha of Spain dehesa in Jaraíz de la Vera.

In Extremadura, the "Vera Carbon2Nature" project will be carried out in the Dehesa Boyal de Jaraíz de la Vera in the Cáceres region of La Vera. This is the largest forest of public-private collaboration on public land in Spain, and the first to be carried out in the long term (50 years). 

The project will manage 1,499 ha of Spanish dehesa and will involve the planting of over 700,000 trees on 467 ha affected by degradation processes, and will capture around 186,000 tCO₂. The goal is to regenerate and conserve a highly valuable dehesa ecosystem thanks to an innovative forestr transformation plan. This project includes the planting of holm and cork oaks, the introduction of a transitional species (Pinus Pinaster) and other accompanying species to enrich biodiversity (hawthorn, cornicabra, ash, chestnut and Pyrenean oak...). 

And all this, while creating job opportunities and preserving traditional uses of extensive livestock farming and other uses (hunting, recreational, cultural), thanks to a phased planting design.

Agustín Delgado, Iberdrola´s Global Director of Innovation and Sustainability, highlighted this project as an example of Carbon2Nature's savoir-faire "recovering our ecosystems and even enhacing them through innovation and long-term sustainable management, with great projects that add value. In this case, over 700,000 trees will be planted in collaboration with the administration, under a unique approach of sustainability and quality, benefiting neighbouring communities, allowing them to co-exist with traditional forest uses".

Carbon2Nature project presentation event in La Vera was attended by the Presidential Adviser of the Regional Government of Extremadura, Abel Bautista, the Adviser of Forestr Management, Ignacio Higuero, the Mayor of Jaraíz de la Vera, Luis Miguel Núñez, as well as a large representation of mayors from the northern regions of the province of Cáceres.

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.