🌱 Carbon Forests – An Innovative Project for a Sustainable Future 🌍
The project is based on two main activities:
Implementing measures aimed at increasing CO₂ absorption, certification, and making carbon absorption units available in accordance with the principles outlined in the Regulation on the EU framework for the certification of carbon removals, carbon sequestration techniques, and carbon storage in products.
Calculating the carbon footprint of the State Forests National Forest Holding (PGL LP) and its products in line with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
Currently, within the Carbon Forests project, no activities are being undertaken to increase carbon absorption by forests, and no costs have been incurred in this regard. The Directorate General of State Forests (DGLP) has actively contributed to the development of the Regulation on the EU framework for the certification of carbon removals, carbon sequestration techniques, and carbon storage in products. After the relevant EU bodies develop detailed guidelines and methodologies and their analysis is completed by the DGLP, a decision will be made regarding the feasibility of implementing measures to enhance CO₂ absorption or store carbon in forest ecosystems and certifying and making carbon absorption units available in compliance with the aforementioned Regulation.
It should be emphasized that, with the exclusion of additional areas from forest management, State Forests should have the opportunity to generate revenue from alternative sources, including, among others, the certification of CO₂ absorption.
The cost of certified units from projects implemented on forest lands (e.g., afforestation) in the voluntary market is approximately $55 per ton. In 2024, a carbon absorption project in Europe was registered and certified according to the Verra standard. Upon registration, the first units were issued, with a minimum marketing value of €50 per ton. It was also highlighted that European enterprises are interested in purchasing units from projects implemented within Europe and have expressed their willingness to bear higher costs for acquiring offset units.
To further reduce the impact on climate change, another initiative under the project is the calculation of the organization’s carbon footprint and product carbon footprint. The goal is to introduce more conscious and effective actions aimed at reducing emissions and, in the subsequent stages, evaluate the results achieved and the expected outcomes.
In 2024, for the first time, the State Forests calculated the greenhouse gas emissions of the organization (Scope 1 and 2, based on 2023 data). According to the calculations, the total carbon footprint of the State Forests in 2023 amounted to 65,440.2 tons of CO₂e (market-based CO₂ equivalent). Preparations are currently underway in the State Forests to expand inventory and calculate the carbon footprint of State Forests’ products, covering the so-called “cradle-to-gate” scope.
