zeroCO2 was born in Guatemala. We asked ourselves how to combine environmental, social, and economic sustainability to create a lasting impact for the soils and the people who live on them. Reforestation was the natural response we chose to counter the climate crisis and support the local farming communities.
WHERE
Guatemala – Petén
MAIN THREATS
Deforestation, monocultures, fires, loss of biodiversity
TREES PLANTED
Orange, Avocado, Cocoa, Cedar, Lime, Mahogany and 4 more
PARTNERS
106 rural communities and Comparte ONLUS
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Deforestation is a community problem.
In Guatemala, the expansion of monocultures and ranching is taking more and more land away from the local communities. Without land to cultivate, they are forced to work in inhumane conditions, or migrate.
Guatemala has one of the highest deforestation rates in the Americas: from 2001 to 2020, it lost 20% of its forest cover, an area equal to 1.5 million hectares. The increase in deforestation and forest degradation in Guatemala has coincided with the expansion of industrial agriculture, made possible by the lack of laws and the many interferences in the agricultural sector at the hands of multinational corporations that invest in banana and palm oil monoculture. Bringing reforestation to Guatemala means regenerating local biodiversity, absorbing CO2, and guaranteeing farmers secure work on their own land.
Local answers to global problems.
We actively involve local communities in the creation and grounding of projects so we can better respond to what the land truly needs. We do this by providing concrete tools to resist deforestation.
Our trees are an important ally in defending the biodiversity and natural habitats of the Petén region, which are endangered by the constant expansion of monocultures and ranches. We give all trees to local farming families, while we train them to grow them; this is the only way we can ensure careful tree care and new forms of income for the local communities.
Trees empower people.
Deforestation in Guatemala is a social problem: the poor segments of the population do not have the resources to cultivate the land they inhabit because they are forced to sell it cheaply.
In Guatemala, agriculture is a major source of income; providing farming families with trees and technical skills on sustainable land management means creating a lasting impact on the land. Trees generate economic stability and support for agriculture because they protect other crops, reduce the need for irrigation, and generate fruit and other natural assets.
Reforestation fights the climate crisis.
Fires make way for monocultures and grazing areas. They severely endanger Guatemala’s forests, including the Maya Biosphere, the most important tropical forest in Central America.
Forests help us prevent soil erosion and retain water, keep the soil fertile by preventing landslides and flooding, and help regulate the weather and rainfall. Planning reforestation in Guatemala means protecting the biodiversity of the land and giving new life to it. It also means fighting the climate crisis: trees are our main ally against global warming, because they absorb the CO2 produced by human activities.
Virgilio Galicia, co-founder of zeroCO2
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Planting forests anywhere in the world is not an utopia, if you do it with us. Start creating your forest online or simply get in touch with us if you have any questions.
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