Iberdrola will reforest the towns in Spain that are most committed to sustainability

‘Forest seeks village in which to grow up',  with this slogan, Iberdrola has launched a search for towns committed to sustainability and the environment to reforest them. The aim of the project is to promote the recovery of natural spaces in empty Spain - through the conversion of burnt or wasteland into forests - and the development of employment and of the region. 

Municipalities with less than 15,000 inhabitants may participate in this call for proposals. Their strategy and planning in sustainability, entrepreneurship and innovation will be assessed, with special attention to the promotion of renewable energies, the electrification of demand and the decarbonisation of their economic activity. 

Iberdrola will be responsible for the reforestation of the land through selective planting with drones and smart seeds, which will be implemented by CO2 Revolution. These plantations will always be carried out with native species, not just trees, to ensure that entire ecosystems that promote biodiversity are created. In addition, shrubs, aromatic and flowering plants from all strata of the vegetation layer are included in the planting.

With this initiative, Iberdrola is contributing to the creation of new opportunities in rural areas and promoting the offsetting of CO2 emissions. The project will enable the recovery of natural spaces and their revitalisation, as the development of various forest environments will promote their recreational and tourist use and contribute to the fight against depopulation by generating local employment.

Furthermore, reforestation is one of the best tools for mitigating and adapting to climate change. Not only as a sink for CO2 emissions, it also contributes to regulating the water regime, preventing soil erosion and conserving biodiversity.

This initiative, called 'Startup Village Pledge', is part of the Iberdrola - PERSEO International Startup Programme, and is supported by the European Commission and its strategic plan "A long-term vision for the EU's rural areas" through the REInA platform (European Rural Innovation Area), which aims to attract investment, create jobs and generate projects in rural areas that ensure a better quality of life and services for the inhabitants of these areas. This platform, promoted by the University of Salamanca, is managed by Startup Olé.

As part of Iberdrola's commitment to the environment, the company has set itself the target of promoting the planting of 20 million trees during this decade, which will capture approximately 6 million tonnes of CO2 in 30 years. This CO2 absorption would neutralise the emissions of a car driving 116 times around the Earth.

Thanks to the technology, developed by CO2 Revolution, large areas can be replanted with high efficiency and respect for the environment. It combines state-of-the-art forestry biotechnology with robotics and improved mechanised land-based methods used in the sector. To date, 2,500 hectares of land have already been reforested with this system, equivalent to avoiding the emission of 500,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

In addition, the company is committed to the rural world as a fundamental lever for activity and economic recovery throughout the country. In the last two years, the company has promoted the installation of around twenty new wind and solar facilities in rural areas in eleven autonomous communities, with a combined capacity of 2,000 MW.

In addition, the company has carried out other actions to highlight the importance of rural areas with projects that halt depopulation and add value to society, such as the 'Pueblos que brillan' cycle of meetings focused on highlighting the importance and benefits of these areas.