Mer supports #GenerationRestoration

Our growing electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure is contributing significantly to the decarbonization of the transport and traffic sectors across Europe. However, we are passionate not only about reducing the carbon footprint of our EV infrastructure but also our own footprint through sustainable development efforts.

Mer supporting #GenerationRestoration

Sustainability is existential to us, and we are taking several measures to address our carbon footprint, you can read all about our work on sustainability here .

To celebrate World Environment Day on June 5, and in support of #GenerationRestoration, we would like to specifically address how our efforts in Mer contributes to reforestation and biodiversity.

Carbon emissions reduction efforts

Participating in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) is the most effective way to reduce our emissions. Under this cap-and-trade system, the government sets an emissions cap and issues a quantity of emission allowances consistent with that cap. Emitters must hold allowances for every ton of greenhouse gas they emit. Companies may buy and sell allowances, and this market establishes an emissions price.

We have partnered with ForTomorrow to purchase 2,798 tCO2e of our carbon footprint which invests in categories we have direct control of from the EU ETS scheme, effectively preventing the same amount from being emitted elsewhere.

Gold Standard offsetting

Our take is that if we cause emissions in a particular area, we should take responsibility to prevent most of it in that area. However, to support development work, we offset 11,661 tCO2e of our total footprint through Gold Standard projects. We chose to only invest in high-quality offsetting certificates such as Gold Standard, recognized as a leading standard for carbon offset, because it ensures that the carbon offset projects meet high environmental and social standards.

Challenges with carbon offsetting

Carbon offsetting is a process where individuals and organizations compensate for their greenhouse gas emissions by funding projects aimed at reducing or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. In the past, the process of carbon offsetting has been straightforward, with individuals or organizations simply buying carbon credits. These credits were then used to fund carbon reduction projects. However, carbon offsetting has become more complex in recent years, with a greater focus on the quality of the carbon credits being bought and sold.

We know there are carbon offsetting schemes not rigorously monitored, and some projects funded through these schemes may not be reducing greenhouse gas emissions as planned. In 2023, Corporate Accountability revealed that 78 percent of the top 50 emission offset projects were categorized as worthless due to one or more fundamental failings that undermines the projects promised emission cuts. Therefore, we focused on investing in high-quality offsetting certificates such as the Gold Standard projects only.

Read also:

Revealed: top carbon offset projects may not cut planet-heating emissions.

The Guardian: Corporations invested in carbon offsets that were ‘likely junk’, analysis says

These are the Gold Standard reforestation and biodiversity programs we support:

Betulia Energy and Biodiversity Restoration Project in Honduras

The Betulia project has contributed significantly to the reforestation of predominantly native tree species in the Betulia Valley in Honduras. Since the start of the project in 2014, an area of 5.613ha in the Betulia Valley has been successively reforested in near natural mixed forest plantations with mainly native tree species. 

There are multiple ecological and socio-economic benefits for local communities and the environment.

The Nicaforest High Impact Reforestation Program

Nicaforest Program has 490 hectares of land under management and aims to contribute to the creation of a sustainable value-chain by working closely with local landowners in a Shared Benefit Scheme. The program plants teak and other valuable species for future timber production and added-value wood production and other measures aimed at increasing resilience in local municipalities.

The project protects the remaining patches of native vegetation and creates additional conservation areas on the banks of rivers and other watersheds. The forests offer a natural habitat for native animals and plants, protect and enrich the soil, save and filter water and contribute to the mitigation of the greenhouse effect.

Planting Biodiverse Forests in Panama

By sourcing timber from primary rainforest or harvesting large-scale monoculture plantation, the timber trade has significantly depleted tropical rainforests.

CO2OL Tropical Mix is looking to change that by introducing sustainable timber production while reforesting degraded pastureland with a mix of native tree species and teak. The resulting forests offer a natural habitat for native animals and plants, protect, and enrich the soil, save, and filter water and contribute to the mitigation of climate change. The project, initially developed by Forest Finance and recently extended by the partner Sustainable Timber and Isla Cebaco, is based on a model that combines sustainable, high quality timber production with biodiversity protection and ecosystem restoration. By planting a mix of cacao and native tree species in some areas, the project also enables sustainable cacao production.

Uganda Gender Responsive Safe Water Project

In Lango, access to safe water is a major challenge; boreholes to access groundwater often fall into disrepair due to a lack of funding or training for their maintenance.  Having no safe water access forces communities to use unsafe sources like streams to get their water, which must be boiled to make it safe.  To boil the water, communities collect and burn firewood, which places greater pressure on dwindling forests and produces CO2 emissions.  It also creates a burden for women and children, who typically spend hours every day collecting firewood and water.  Even so, boiling water does not always guarantee that it is safe to drink, so waterborne diseases continue to afflict the community.
Due to this project, however, 40,000 individuals now enjoy clean water access, reducing the incidence of waterborne illness. Also, 4 hours have been saved per week for collecting water per household, which is a 19 percent improvement from the baseline, as well as a reduction in school absenteeism and domestic violence, among other benefits.