COPADEin its commitment to the environment, will launch in 2024 the Living Forests Projectin an effort to raise awareness among 50,000 people and join the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Since the 1960s, there has been an alarming loss of as much as 81.7 million hectares of forest worldwide, equivalent to 60% of forest area per capita. In Spain, it is estimated that more than a third of forest area has been lost since 2000. This phenomenon shows the drastic changes that human activity is causing on the planet. These data are a clear indication of the current situation of forests, which has a negative impact on the ecosystem, threatens people’s lives and has serious consequences for the local economy, biodiversity and air quality.
These developments are expected to increase over time due to the increase in the world population and the growing demand for agricultural products., in addition to the effects of climate change affecting food production. In this sense, it is necessary to find a lasting solution that will stop the problems deforestation and forest degradation, especially imported deforestation. The consequences of this practice are directly related to the high demand for products grown outside European borders, such as timber, livestock meat, palm oil and other agricultural products.
In the current context it is It is crucial to assume a role that assumes our responsibility in promoting an alternative production and consumption model. This commitment becomes even more relevant given that the European Union recently adopted a new directive known as ‘Deforestation-free products‘ (EUDR), which aims to stop the activities of companies selling basic products related to the European market. deforestation.
Living Forests, the COPADE project that aims to raise awareness about the conservation of our forests
The COPADE Foundationcommitted to this ecological emergency, launches the initiative ”Living Forests: citizens and companies committed to the fight against imported deforestation”. The aim of this project is to raise awareness among both companies and the Spanish population of the importance of preserving our forests and applying sustainable practices in production and consumption. With the aim of increasing awareness among more than 50,000 people, aims to strengthen the commitment of Spanish citizens and businesses to sustainable development and the 2030 Agenda, from a gender-balanced perspective.
This initiative, which receives financial support from the Spanish International Development Cooperation Agency (Aecid), covers several areas with the aim of promoting improvements that benefit all involved. This includes not only participants in the production chain, such as companies, organizations and governments, but also end users.
In addition, attention is paid to other key actors, such as rural communities, where the aim is to reduce poverty deforestation by promoting sustainable practices and conserving natural resources. In the same way, vulnerable population groups are taken into account in countries where the “imported deforestation«, providing them with relevant information about this phenomenon and sustainable alternatives.
The action process involves working with communities affected by the deforestationcollecting information through interviews and surveys, taking advantage of the presence of COPADE in various Latin American countries and their relationships with local organizations.
In addition, business guides, events and reflection days will also be held to involve actors in the production of products that cause deforestation. Likewise, activities will be organized to raise awareness among consumers about the importance of choosing products without deforestationthrough events and forums.
COPADE: contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030
The launch of ‘Living Forests: Citizens and Businesses Committed to Fighting Imported Deforestation’ is aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda. Firstly, it will seek to contribute to the end of poverty (SDG 1) by recognizing the importance of forests as a livelihood for many families. Furthermore, it will promote the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems (SDG 15) through sustainable production and consumption practices.
«Of the COPADE Foundationwe understand how important it is not to just tackle the problems deforestation from an environmental perspective, but also from a social perspective. In this context, we focus not only on aligning our actions with the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, but also on fully understanding the impact our activities have on the environment and local communities.” Points to the general manager of COPADEJavier Fernandez.
On the other hand, it will also address the reduction of inequality (SDG 10) by ensuring the inclusion and participation of local communities and rural populations. Likewise, this initiative will promote responsible production and consumption (SDG 12) by promoting responsible business practices. To achieve these objectives, the action plan includes the formation of alliances to achieve the goals (SDG 17).
”In fact, our Social Footprint and Sustainability Commitment tool analyzes the ecological impact of forest-related actions and studies their consequences for the people and communities that depend on them. By integrating the social footprint into our strategies, we are committed not only to preserving the environment, but also to the well-being of local communities and the promotion of sustainable practices in the forestry sector.” Javier Fernández declares. “This instrument pushes us towards a more conscious production and consumption model, in which the balance between ecological conservation and social progress is prioritized, thus contributing to building a more just and sustainable future for all involved.” he decides. general manager of COPADE.