Each year more than 35m acres of forest are burned, releasing billions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, that was stored in the trees. After burning fossil fuels, the destruction of forests is the second largest source of CO2 emissions that cause climate change. Since 2010, BNP Paribas has supported the Wildlife Works, Kasigau Corridor REDD+ project, a vital forest conservation project located in South Western, Kenya. Wildlife Works has shown the community a more sustainable way to produce nutritious crops without the need to clear more trees. REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation; the plus sign relates to benefits for the local community and biodivercity.
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As part of the fight against climate change, BNP Paribas became a carbon-neutral bank in 2017 as a result of three related actions:
- Reducing its direct CO₂ emissions (target of a 25% reduction by 2020), through an active policy of promoting energy efficiency at its buildings and datacenters, and also optimizing business travel.
- Using only low-carbon electricity in countries where it is available.
- Offsetting CO₂ emissions that cannot be directly avoided or reduced, through partnerships with benchmark organizations.
Photos ©Lisa Kristine / Wildlife Works