Protection of biodiversity, fight against erosion, defense against global warming... forests play a central role in safeguarding the environment and their
“ecological value”
is increasingly recognized today.
“However, in Europe, and particularly in France, the forest is becoming poorer, because for years there has been a tendency to homogenize it too much, to exploit it too much, in a productivist logic
,” warns Yann Laurans, director of programs at WWF France.
Excessive harvesting to which must be added climate change – and the increase in extreme events that it causes – which is putting the forest under severe strain.
To restore the quality of our forests, the solution is to
“take less wood and let it age, because the older it is, the richer its biodiversity
,” explains Yann Laurans.
40 million euros in ten years
But how can we convince forest owners to cut down fewer trees or plant less economically profitable species?
This is where the mechanism of
“payments for practices favorable to ecosystem services”
(PES) comes into play.
The idea is simple: financially compensate for the loss of income of forestry stakeholders who agree to change management methods.
It is with this logic that the WWF launched last May a specialized fund called
“Nature Impact”
, funded by companies.
The first round of funding raised 2 million euros – from companies such as La Banque Postale, the Bel group, GRDF, the Schmidt Group and even La Française des jeux – and the objective is to raise 40 million euros within ten years.
Forest of metropolitan France WWF-Fran
Getting away from the logic of carbon credits
“We wanted to move away from the carbon prism to emphasize the urgency of preserving forest biodiversity
,” underlines Aurélie Pontal, director of the investment and corporate sponsorship division.
Indeed, in recent decades, companies have become accustomed to financing the planting of trees in exchange for carbon credits.
With Nature Impact, the logic is different since it is a question of acting upstream by safeguarding existing forests, carbon being a co-benefit.
“The results of their actions are very concrete for companies, because we can tell them precisely how many hectares of forests have been preserved thanks to their contribution
,” indicates Yann Laurans.
If the main goal is to protect biodiversity, the approach will have an additional impact on carbon sequestration and the WWF hopes to sustainably store 400,000 additional tonnes of CO2 over thirty years.
On the side of forest owners, WWF has defined nine practices that may be eligible.
“This may involve protecting endangered species by committing not to cut down habitat trees, stopping logging part of the forest for at least twenty years or even replanting more local species,
” explains Yann Laurans.
The NGO has already launched a first call for projects and is aiming for the second by the end of 2024;
the latter are studied closely by a committee of experts within the WWF, which then offers financial compensation to the operator.
A municipality commits to preserving 150 hectares of forest
A strong gesture that encourages it to be reproduced on a larger scale.
The town of Oloron-Sainte-Marie, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, signed an agreement with the WWF on June 19, 2023 for the preservation of part of the Bager woods.
The forest is home to a variety of species throughout the year, some of which are endemic such as the calotriton (an amphibian) or the Pyrenees desman (a small semi-aquatic mammal).
“Depending on the areas, the 150 hectares will be exploited between 50, 70 and 100% less than before
,” explains Véronique Andrieux, general director of WWF France.
This program for the protection and better management of Bager wood is one of four pilot projects carried out by WWF France on forestry PES and this municipality of 11,000 inhabitants is the first in France to sign this type of agreement.
THREE QUESTIONS for Aurélie Pontal, director of the investment and corporate sponsorship division at WWF:
Aurélie Pontal, director of the investment and corporate sponsorship division at WWF Aurélie pontal
“We will issue biodiversity certificates
and carbon certificates to companies”
By investing in the Nature Impact fund, companies make a concrete commitment to biodiversity and receive biodiversity and carbon certificates, the calculations of which are checked every five years to issue certificates.
Aurélie Pontal tells us more about these commitments.
How do you select companies that can invest in the Nature Impact fund?
We check that the company is engaged in an approach to reduce its impact on the environment.
To do this, we are attentive to the presence of a decarbonization trajectory and the adoption of measures to protect biodiversity.
Finally, for certain specific sectors, we ensure that the company has income from forestry stakeholders agreeing to change management methods.
It is with this logic that the WWF launched last May a specialized fund called
“Nature Impact”
, funded by companies.
The first round of funding raised 2 million euros – from companies such as La Banque Postale, the Bel group, GRDF, the Schmidt Group and even La Française des jeux – and the objective is to raise 40 million euros within ten years.
Getting away from the logic of carbon credits
“We wanted to get away from the carbon prism to emphasize the urgency of preserving the biodiversity of forests
,” underlines Aurélie Pontal, making commitments regarding its wood supply policy.
How do you help them demonstrate the seriousness of their investment
and thus avoid being accused of greenwashing?
We help them to enhance their commitments.
To do this, we first provide them with an estimate of the impacts linked to their financial participation.
Concretely, we certify that a certain volume of carbon will be sequestered and that a certain area of biodiversity will be preserved.
To do this, we base ourselves on very rigorous calculations every five years, director of the investment and corporate sponsorship division.
Indeed, in recent decades, companies have become accustomed to financing the planting of trees in exchange for carbon credits.
With Nature Impact, the logic is different since it is a question of acting upstream by safeguarding existing forests, carbon being a co-benefit.
“The results of their actions are very concrete for companies, because we can tell them precisely how many hectares of forests have been preserved thanks to their contribution
,” indicates Yann Laurans.
If the main goal is to protect biodiversity, the approach will have an additional impact on carbon sequestration and the WWF hopes we will verify our initial estimates and issue them with biodiversity certificates as well as carbon certificates.
You also help them communicate about their commitments made with you…
Yes quite.
We consider it necessary to help them communicate their commitments well to avoid accusations of greenwashing.
This is why, at the request of our partner companies, we have written a communication guide so that they can explain, with supporting figures and graphs, what they do with us.