What we do Sustainability Lifetime carbon neutral Carbon capture through forests

Using trees to capture historical CO2

We are using trees' unique abilities to capture CO2 from the air. This is one of the most effective carbon capture methods and it is as old as time itself.

Trees filter carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere through photosynthesis, converting this primarily into carbon and oxygen. The carbon is trapped in the physical structure of the tree and the excess oxygen is released back into the atmosphere. Established natural forests do this to a much greater extent, so while it is important to plant new trees, it is also vital to protect our existing carbon rich environments.

Protecting the world’s most carbon-rich and biodiverse forests

Forests have the greatest potential for capturing carbon and are vital in this fight against climate change and nature loss. But they are under constant threat from environmental changes, agriculture, logging and urban development.

It’s not just about a reduction in the number of trees that remove carbon from the atmosphere, but also the destruction of complex carbon-rich ecosystems that have built up over millions of years. The world’s most carbon-rich and biodiverse forests must be protected and restored.

Working with WWF

 We are working with experts from WWF because they know where new forests are needed and where old ones should be preserved. WWF has worked with the VELUX Group to identify and develop new forest conservation projects around the world that would have the greatest positive impact on climate change. The partnership will conduct a total of five major forest projects in tropical forest landscapes with high biodiversity value. Each project will protect and restore vital natural habitats, capturing carbon equivalent to what the Group has emitted in its lifetime. 

Read more about our work with WWF

Myanmar and Uganda forest projects first

Initially, two forest projects will begin to capture carbon. The first is in Myanmar and the second is in Uganda. Later, more forests projects will be initiated around the world, so that all in all we expect to capture carbon and reduce nature loss through up to five forest projects with WWF.

The partnership will conserve and/or restore the forest cover of an estimated 200,000 ha of high biodiversity value tropical forests. It will plant an estimated 10 million new trees, resulting in an estimated 4 million mature trees in restored forests by the end of the projects.

Strong benefits for biodiversity and people

Together with WWF, we aim to ensure that the forest projects deliver strong benefits to both biodiversity and people for years to come. From the outset, this long-term partnership, which enables us to become Lifetime Carbon Neutral, aims to halt the crucial habitat loss and degradation that is threatening global forests and species vital to the health of our planet.

Forests in tropical areas

Based on WWF’s expertise, the forest projects are located in tropical areas, because they have the biggest impact in capturing our lifetime emissions – absorbing up to eight times as much CO2 as other forest projects. Such forests also helping to address the dual global challenges of climate change and nature loss – the hidden crisis.