BAT Vietnam - BAT Vietnam to continue implementing its 3rd year afforestation project in collaboration with Gaia

BAT Việt Nam tiếp tục triển khai dự án trồng rừng năm thứ 3 cùng Gaia

On September 25^th and 26^th, British American Tobacco (BAT) Vietnam and Gaia Nature Conservation jointly organized the program of delineating and promoting the natural regeneration of 40 hectares of mudflats in the core area of Ca Mau Cape National Park. With this progress, BAT Vietnam and Gaia have completed the afforestation project in the period of 2022 - 2024 with the target of covering 4 hectares in Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve, and converting 120 hectares of mudflats into forests in Ca Mau Cape National Park.

The driving force behind natural regeneration and afforestation efforts

The significance of forests to the environment and human life is undeniable. According to i-Tree, a software developed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) for assessing and managing forests and community trees, afforestation helps remove approximately 31.6 million tons of CO2, absorb about 825 million pounds (equivalent to 372 million kilograms) of air pollutants, and avoid 5,530 million gallons of floodwater from storms. Furthermore, McKinsey & Company highlights that afforestation is the sole solution to absorb CO2, substantially contributing to Vietnam's zero-emission commitment by 2050.

In Vietnam, the saltwater intrusion in the Mekong Delta provinces is increasingly severe. Many provinces no longer have a flood season, and alluvium, as well as larvae of crabs, shrimp and fish, are no longer abundant, leading to soil degradation and negatively impacting aquaculture.

In addition, according to the Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, Vietnam is one of the six countries most severely affected by climate change. By 2100, nearly 40% of the Mekong Delta could be lost. Therefore, the regeneration and planting of mangrove forests is one of the most effective activities to combat saltwater intrusion, help absorb carbon naturally and preserve biodiversity.

According to multiple studies, mangrove forests can absorb carbon at a rate 4-10 times higher than that of terrestrial forests. They provide a crucial link between terrestrial and marine ecosystems, creating an ideal habitat for a variety of species.

This is the driving force behind BAT Vietnam's initiative to promote the regeneration and conservation of mangrove forests in Ca Mau Cape National Park from 2022 to 2024.

From strong commitment to tangible results

Through the afforestation project in collaboration with Gaia, launched in 2022, BAT Vietnam demonstrates its strong commitment to two major priorities within the company's sustainability agenda, including: Protecting and conserving biodiversity and ecosystems, and Tackling climate change.

"BAT Vietnam recognizes that, in addition to efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change within our value chain, we also need to join hands with the Vietnamese Government, agencies, organizations and other stakeholders to restore degraded forests and protect biodiversity", Ms. Do Hoang Anh, Head of CORA at BAT, shared in a meeting with officials of Ca Mau Cape National Park.

Thus, in 2024, BAT Vietnam continues collaborating with Gaia to regenerate 40 hectares of mudflats into forests in Ca Mau Cape National Park. To kick off this year’s event, BAT Vietnam organized the ESG Day (Sustainable Development Day) program with the participation of 50 employees - contributing hundreds of volunteer hours, along with employees and volunteers from Gaia, and officers from Ca Mau Cape National Park Management Board, who worked together to built fences and set up nets to zone and plant white mangrove trees.

This is the third consecutive year that BAT Vietnam has organized ESG Day and carried out afforestation activities in Ca Mau Cape.

For the previous 2022 and 2023, BAT Vietnam along with Gaia regenerated 80 hectares of mudflats into forest in Ca Mau Cape National Park, while also covering an additional 4 hectares of forest in Dong Nai Culture and Nature Reserve, bringing the total area under the afforestation program to 124 hectares in Dong Nai and Ca Mau over three years. BAT Vietnam and Gaia will continue to promote care, monitoring, and reporting activities in the following years to ensure the survival rate of the trees.

According to reports, the two areas that BAT Vietnam and Gaia regenerated in 2022 and 2023 have begun to have a significant number of young saplings emerging. These saplings are being nurtured to grow, promising to develop into robust mangrove forests in Ca Mau Cape in the next few years.

Sharing the significance of this project as well as the annual ESG Day program, Mr. Jahid Shafique - Head of Human Resources, Culture and Inclusion of BAT Vietnam said: “BAT Vietnam's afforestation project in collaboration with Gaia is not only an environmental initiative, this project also profoundly demonstrates BAT Vietnam's culture of ‘Do the Right Thing', as we prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility. The regeneration activities and knowledge gained about mangrove forests on ESG Day not only provide the BAT Vietnam team with a deeper insight into forest protection and environmental responsibility but also strengthen internal connections, fostering a spirit of solidarity and responsibility among individuals within the company”.

Ms. Do Thi Thanh Huyen, Founder and General Director of Gaia Nature Conservation stated: “Regenerating, planting, and caring for our forests is a challenging journey. Therefore, we at Gaia are deeply grateful for passionate and visionary companies like BAT Vietnam, who have not hesitated to work hard to accompany Gaia in building ecologically valuable forests. These forests help to protect water resources, reduce typhoon and flood damage, tackle climate change, and serve as habitats for numerous species with high biodiversity value, contributing to the initiative of the Government's 1 billion trees project by 2025. New mangrove forests will help maintain ecological balance and protect the flora and fauna. Over the years, after the regeneration and afforestation, Gaia and BAT Vietnam have coordinated with the authorities to count the number of trees growing, and closely monitor the entire process of care, management, and protection, to ensure the highest survival rate of trees, thereby improving the effectiveness of the company's environmental investments”.