What we do Sustainability Taking climate action The WWF-VELUX partnership

The WWF-VELUX partnership

We finance forest projects that capture carbon equivalent to our historical CO₂ emissions delivered by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Our twenty-year partnership will deliver a portfolio of forest projects in tropical forest landscapes with high biodiversity value that will create positive change for people, nature and climate. The carbon captured from these forest projects will be donated to the host countries’ climate commitments under the Paris Agreement. This means that the carbon captured by the forest projects will not be used for off-setting of VELUX carbon emissions or any other organisation’s emissions.

By 2041, it is expected that the forest protection and restoration projects will have captured at least 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂ – the equivalent of all CO₂ emitted by the VELUX Group (scope 1 and 2) since it was founded in 1941. To increase the likelihood that the forest projects will reach this target, the projects will be designed with a 25% built-in CO₂ buffer bringing the total potential capture to approximately 5.6 million tonnes of CO₂.

WWF Denmark photo, sun and forest in Uganda

Forest conservation projects with a focus on people, nature and climate

By partnering with WWF to develop new forest projects from scratch, we are taking a unique approach to protect and restore forests in some of the most biodiverse landscapes in the world. Forest conservation is one of the most effective methods to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and help mitigate climate change. The projects are selected based on several criteria including the carbon potential, the biodiversity and community benefits as well as the long-term sustainability of the project.

Based on WWF’s expertise and experience in this area, tropical forests were identified as the most suitable to reach this target and achieve our vision. The final composition of project types in the portfolio was decided based on in-depth feasibility studies. The projects will include a combination of REDD* (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) and AAR* (Afforestation, Reforestation and Revegetation) activities.

Each project will deliver nature-based solutions for climate mitigation aligned with WWF’s Blueprint for High-Quality Interventions that Work for People, Nature and Climate. The Blueprint outlines principles for project interventions to ensure that they deliver positive climate mitigation impacts and manage anticipated climate risks, while simultaneously delivering benefits and real impact for people and biodiversity.

The challenge to calculate historical emissions

No standard methodology exists today on how to calculate a historical carbon footprint. Therefore, we developed a method to calculate our historical carbon emissions based on the recognised Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard and applied this to our historical data. This unique methodology, including the underlying assumptions, was independently verified by Carbon Trust and reviewed by scientific experts at WWF.

Carbon capture is calculated using standards created by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the leading international body for assessment of climate change. It is a key source of scientific information and technical guidance to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement.

The partnership will ensure ongoing monitoring of all forest projects and include third party verification according to international recognised standards – Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard (CCB) developed and managed by VERRA.

The forest project portfolio delivered by WWF

Natural forest regeneration in the Albertine Rift in Uganda

Our first forest project initiated in 2021 is located in Uganda. The project aims to restore degraded forests, plant new trees and protect the existing natural forests through a range of initiatives. The project is expected to capture a proportionate share of our overall carbon objective.

The project in Uganda is located in one of the world's most biodiversity hotspots, the Albertine Rift, which stretches over six countries in East Africa. The area is severely affected by deforestation due to the need for farmland, timber and charcoal. In 2022, the first 100,000+ seedlings of native tree species were planted in the Kagombe Central Forest Reserve – an area which has experienced a 73% forest loss in the past decade.

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Photo: WWF Denmark, Jonas Lysholdt Ejderskov
The Green Shores Project in Madagascar

Mangroves in the Manambolo – Tsiribihina landscape in western Madagascar are classified as the wetland of international importance due to its unique coastal biodiversity. Mangroves in this landscape are critical for supporting small-scale fisheries and crab fishing which sustain the local population and provide vital natural protection against storms and cyclones that hit the island nation.

The project aims to protect mangroves and related hydrological systems as well as restore degraded and deforested areas through REDD* and ARR* activities, improve biodiversity and increase resilience of local communities.

Protecting endangered and endemic species

Madagascar’s mangroves are home to at least 18 threatened animal species such as the Madagascar fish eagle and the Malagazy sacred ibis. The protection and restoration of the mangrove ecosystems is expected to result in an increase in aquatic bird populations and improve the status of threatened species.

Improving local livelihoods

The project aims to improve the livelihoods of local communities through sustainable fishing and wood production value chains. As mangroves act as nurseries for fish, the project is expected to support an increase in fishery resources, helping to support food security for the local population. It is also aimed to support diversification of income sources for women and youth, and the implementation of a sustainable mangrove management system providing key ecosystem services to communities.

Photo: WWF France: Justin Jin
The Saola Project - Reviving the silent forests of Viet Nam

Located in the mountainous Central Annamites Landscape of western central Viet Nam, Tay Giang district is home to a variety of ethnic minorities and incredible biodiversity. Forest cover is rapidly disappearing due to encroachment for acacia plantation, and the harvesting of non-timber forest products such as medicinal plants, bamboo and rattan. Shifting agricultural practices and illegal logging add further to the pressures that threaten the area’s rich biodiversity and people’s traditional ways of living. This project will be delivered through a mix of REDD* and ARR* activities.

Improving community livelihoods

The project is designed to improve community livelihoods through the development of value chains for non-timber forest products. Value chains for sustainably produced indigenous medicinal products, bee products and wild vegetables will be explored for their potential to enhance household income.

Improving conditions for biodiversity to thrive

Tay Giang contains numerous high conservation value tree species, over 445 species of terrestrial vertebrates, 64 species of mammals, 135 species of birds, 118 species of reptiles and 128 species of frogs. The area is home to the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis), also known as the Asian Unicorn, one of the world’s rarest large mammals, last sighted in 2013.

Photo: David Hulse / WWF

By undertaking efforts to reduce poaching and snaring, as well as improve and increase forest cover, the project is expected to create a healthier and more connected habitat for the region’s rich flora and fauna. This is important to ensure the survival of critically endangered and globally threatened species into the future.

*REDD - reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

*ARR - afforestation, reforestation, and revegetation.