Hanwha Group Plants 520,000 Trees Over 10 Years to Combat Climate Change

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[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Hyung-gil] Hanwha Group has been responding to climate change and practicing carbon neutrality by planting 520,000 trees over more than 10 years through its Solar Forest campaign.

Hanwha Group announced on the 21st that it completed the 9th 'Hanwha Solar Forest' on the 22nd, Earth Day, at a carbon-neutral forest site of about 50,000㎡ in Naemyeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon Province.

The saplings at the site are grown using solar energy from photovoltaic facilities donated by Hanwha Group, without using fossil fuels. The 12,000 pine and larch trees, which have high carbon absorption capacity, are expected to absorb 136.5 tons of carbon dioxide annually and purify fine dust and oxygen.

This forest site holds special meaning as virtual trees grown and donated by participants accessing the digital campaign application 'Solar Forest' in a virtual space were actually used. The donation goal for Solar Forest was 12,000 trees, but 16,356 trees were donated.

Since 2011, Hanwha Group has been creating eco-friendly forests domestically and internationally in partnership with the social enterprise Triple Planet. Starting with the desertification prevention forest in Tojin Nars, Mongolia in 2012, Hanwha has established a total of eight forests in China, Korea, and other locations, covering approximately 1.38 million㎡ (about 4.8 times the size of Yeouido). Approximately 510,000 trees have been planted.

These areas have shown effects such as preventing desertification and fine dust, purifying water and air, and preventing soil erosion. In Mongolia, residents who had to leave their hometowns due to desertification caused by illegal logging and fires have returned and sustained their livelihoods as forest rangers after the establishment of Hanwha Solar Forest, bringing tangible changes to local communities.

Additionally, Solar Forest is more eco-friendly as it has a solar-powered nursery where saplings are grown using solar energy.

The Hanwha Solar Forest campaign is the world's first corporate case to use solar power generation for desertification prevention activities and was introduced as a model case at the 2011 UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Conference, gaining international recognition.

Lee Tae-gil, Chairman and President of Hanwha Communication Committee, said, "Solar Forest is a campaign representing Hanwha Group's pursuit of environmental sustainability, contributing to raising awareness and building consensus on corporate environmental responsibility. We will continue our business to fulfill corporate social responsibility in solving the ever-growing climate change and environmental issues."

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