Page 40 - Bulletin, Vol.80 No.2, September 2021

THREE REASONS COMPANIES ARE INVESTING IN

FOREST CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION, AND

HOW THEY DO IT

The sustainable management of forests could create $230
billion in business opportunities.

Over half of global GDP is potentially threatened by nature
loss, making restoration an economic priority in the decade
ahead.

The UN is launching the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
to prevent, halt and reverse environmental degradation
worldwide.
The sustainable management of forests could create $230
billion in business opportunities and 16 million jobs worldwide
by 2030.

Companies across industries are investing in forests to foster
resilience, profitability and growth, and values-based leadership.
The world is facing two interdependent environmental crises: the accelerating
destruction of nature and climate change. Corporate citizenship is an integral part of the
problem and solution to these twin threats. Over half of global GDP, or $44 trillion, is
potentially threatened by nature loss, making restoration an economic priority in the
decade ahead. Halting environmental degradation and deforestation, conserving
remaining natural sites and restoring those at risk, paired with rapid Paris Agreement-
aligned emissions reductions are increasingly recognized hallmarks of a robust
corporate response.
In light of the urgency to act, the United Nations is launching the UN Decade on
Ecosystem Restoration to prevent, halt and reverse environmental degradation
worldwide. The UN didn’t just dedicate a day, a month, or even a year to this issue.
Over the next 10 years, the UN aims to reduce poverty, combat climate change and
prevent mass extinction across the globe – restoring our threatened natural heritage.

Creating business opportunities and jobs
Investing in forests provides a significant opportunity for companies seeking to address
climate change, protect nature and create jobs, in a single intervention. Forests have a
net carbon absorption of around 7.6 billion tonnes of CO2e per year, 1.5 times more
CO2e than the US emits annually. Responsible forest conservation and restoration can
be a cost-effective solution to help remove atmospheric carbon and build climate
resilience. As forests are also home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, they
are an essential landscape in our efforts to preserve habitats and protect natural
heritage. In addition, the sustainable management of forests could create $230 billion in
business opportunities and 16 million jobs worldwide by 2030.

AAFI-AFICS BULLETIN, Vol. 80 No.2, 2021-09 39