Forest Protection Day: Recovering degraded areas is an urgent need to tackle climate change

4min
Articles
July 17, 2024
Grupo BBF

Recovering degraded areas plays a fundamental role in mitigating climate change, preserving environmental balance and protecting forests. In the heart of the Amazon, Grupo BBF (Brasil BioFuels) is carrying out sustainable initiatives with oil palm cultivation, transforming previously deforested landscapes into productive and restored areas, promoting connectivity between ecosystems, preserving local fauna, as well as capturing carbon from the atmosphere, boosting the region's bioeconomy.

The impact of soil degradation

impact of soil degradation

Data from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) shows that soil degradation has a negative impact on more than 3.2 billion people, approximately 40% of the world's population. Reversing this situation is essential in order to feed the growing global population, protect biodiversity and tackle the climate crisis. Milton Steagall, CEO of Grupo BBF, points out that the company is recovering previously degraded areas, bringing them back to life.

Sustainable oil palm cultivation

sustainable oil palm cultivation Grupo BBF

Grupo BBF is the largest producer of palm oil in Latin America, cultivating more than 75,000 hectares of palm in Pará and Roraima. Brazilian legislation, one of the strictest in the world, prohibits the cutting down of native forest for oil palm cultivation. In accordance with Federal Government Decree 7.172 of 2010, cultivation can only be carried out in the Amazon in areas degraded before 2007. According to extensive work carried out by Embrapa, more than 31 million hectares are suitable for this sustainable practice.

Benefits of the bioeconomy

development of employment and income in the amazon region - rural women workers

Oil palm cultivation not only recovers degraded areas, but also generates jobs and income in the region. The production of oil, which is the most consumed in the world, is fundamental for the generation of biofuels, supplying renewable energy plants in isolated regions and potentially enabling the production of second generation biofuels, such as SAF and Green Diesel.

Sustainable energy in the Amazon

Amazon region

Currently, Grupo BBF operates 25 thermoelectric plants in the northern region, using biofuels and biomass derived from oil palm. This initiative benefits more than 140,000 residents in isolated locations, promoting decarbonization and providing a sustainable source of energy.

Reducing carbon emissions

carbon reduction - img

Carbon capture is a global priority to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Brazil, as one of the five largest carbon emitters in the world, is working to reduce its emissions by 48% by 2025 and 53% by 2030. Milton Steagall points out that palm cultivation by Grupo BBF captures around 800,000 tons of carbon annually, while also protecting more than 60,000 hectares of Legal Reserve Areas (RL) and Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) that store around 29 million tons of carbon in Pará and Roraima.

Fauna preservation

anteater in Grupo BBF  areas - preservation of fauna

In the 75,000 hectares cultivated by Grupo BBF, more than 400 species of wild animals have been identified, including reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals and fish, many of them rare or threatened with extinction. The presence of these bioindicator species of good environmental quality attests to the effectiveness of the actions taken to preserve the environment.

Combating deforestation

sustainable oil palm cultivation

Grupo BBF 's operations have also contributed to reducing deforestation. In areas close to its activities, there has been a significant reduction in deforestation alerts. According to a survey carried out using the "MapBiomas Alerta" monitoring platform, areas close to the company's operations in São João da Baliza (RR) have 85% fewer deforestation alerts than areas further away in the same region.

The work of Grupo BBF in recovering degraded areas in the Amazon stands out as an example of how sustainable agricultural practices can contribute to mitigating climate change, preserving biodiversity and local economic development. The combination of sustainable cultivation, clean energy generation and environmental protection reflects an integrated and effective approach to tackling environmental challenges.

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Grupo BBF
BBF Group | Brasil BioFuels