COP26: Green Legacy initiative plants 3000 trees

Africa and Asia are the lungs of the World; this is because the two continents house the World’s largest forests and forests are the natural solution to climate change.

Forests remove and store carbon from the atmosphere and release oxygen earning them the title of “lungs breathing for the world”. Forests also make up the most cost-effective solution for mitigating climate change. 

Also, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identify reforestation and sustainable forest management as key to combating climate change. Further still, this year’s COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow saw more than 100 global leaders commit to end and reverse deforestation and land degradation by 2030, as a global solution to reverse the devastating effects of climate change.

By reducing forest loss and reforesting what has already been destroyed as well as planting new forests, we reduce carbon emissions and not only stop climate change, but reverse it. Understanding the critical role of forests in the livelihoods, ecology, culture, and health of the communities in which it operates, QNET, in partnership with EcoMatcher has launched the Green Legacy Initiative.

The Green Legacy initiative

The Green Legacy Initiative is an active action plan to reforest and afforest key areas of Africa and Asia, the lungs of the world.

The initiative reiterates QNET’s commitment towards sustainability.  Planting trees actively protects nature and helps improve local ecosystems as well as generate sustainable agro-forestry livelihoods for local communities.

The initiative is a partnership between QNET and EcoMatcher, a certified B Corporation and social enterprise.

Through this partnership, QNET has launched the first phase of the Green Legacy programme by planting forests comprising 1,000 trees in the UAE, Kenya and the Philippines.

The programme contributes to the UN’s SDG10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG13 (Climate Action), and SDG15 (Life on Land). The three QNET forests collectively support the families of 15 planters in these countries and will sequester 750 tonnes of CO2 over the lifetime of the trees.

Via the EcoMatcher app, QNET can track every tree’s performance on a mobile device through ID geolocation, learn each tree’s story — its species, plant date, farmer and more, and even engage with each tree while tracking its carbon impact with easy-to-use dashboards.

Three Forests, over 3,000 Trees Planted

In Kenya, the QNET forest is being planted in the degraded forest lands of Embu County in Eastern Kenya. While in the Philippines, the forests with indigenous trees are being planted in the Sierra Madre Mountain range, and in the UAE, mangrove trees are being planted along the western coast of Dubai.

More than planting trees, the initiative is changing lives and supporting socio-economic development of the communities where the forests are planted and of course, reversing climate change in the process—building a legacy so to speak.

 “To say we are planting trees is perfunctory. Our commitment to reforestation in these communities goes much deeper. We are in a long-term partnership to ensure these forests thrive long into the future while meeting the needs and desires of each community. QNET is building a Green Legacy to protect the planet for all of us,” says QNET CEO, Malou Caluza

He adds: These three forests are just the beginning. We will work closely with EcoMatcher and other environmental organisations to identify the global footprint of the QNET forests over the next few years.”

QNET’s Green Legacy initiative complements the company’s long-held commitment to sustainability exemplified through its policies such as being a meat-free organisation and banning single-use plastic in all its offices.

Since day one, all QNET offices and events have been meat-free to create awareness about the harmful environmental impact of animal agriculture. One of the driving forces of deforestation, especially in the Amazon, is the animal agriculture sector.

QNET is taking a future-ready stance and focusing on sustainable practices that lessen its environmental impact and protects its employees and communities through multiple avenues, such as developing products strategically and holistically, ensuring an ethical supply chain, and promoting a sustainable corporate culture.

“As a global company with nearly a thousand employees and millions of customers in approximately 100 countries, QNET is committed to being a purpose-driven company that is driving change in the lives of our people, our communities, and the planet,” the CEO went on to detail the company’s ethos.

For example, most recently, when Turkey was ravaged by hundreds of wildfires across 14 locations, QNET stepped in by donating 2000 saplings to an environmental foundation leading reforestation efforts in Antalya.

Understanding culture and wellbeing are at the center of improving lives. QNET is also deeply involved in developing and promoting sports. In Europe, QNET is the Direct Selling Partner of Manchester City Football Club and in Africa, QNET is also a key partner for the African Club League Championships of CAF.

“Our partnership with EcoMatcher is the latest manifestation of our commitment to the environment that stretches back over the past 23 years,” the CEO summed up.

Food For Thought

Forests support more than 80% of the world’s land species and protect 75% of our freshwater. They reduce the risk of natural disasters such as floods and landslides, and more than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, tropical forests are losing more than 30 football fields worth of trees every minute. To catch up with deforestation by 2050, the world would need to grow enough trees to cover an area five times the size of India.