Globe has sealed a five-year partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Philippines for the protection and rehabilitation of local mangrove forests which are being threatened by the conversion of vast areas into ponds for commercial fish and shrimp farming.
ZSL Philippines is one of the primary organizations focused on mangrove rehabilitation through abandoned fishpond reversion, green-gray technology intervention, and close collaboration with People’s Organizations (POs). This is aligned with its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by actively supporting the Race To Zero global campaign spearheaded by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and COP26 Presidency and backed by the GSMA, the global mobile industry body, to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to net-zero no later than 2050.
“For several years now, we have been actively protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing our forests to stop land degradation and biodiversity loss and to combat the effects of global warming. We are further stepping up our efforts to lessen the impact of our operations on the environment as we put into action our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint,” said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications.
In line with this, Globe decided to partner with ZSL Philippines which has proven expertise in mangrove ecosystems, to help with the conservation efforts starting with Iloilo which is considered as one of the top areas for mangrove rehabilitation programs due to its vulnerability to typhoons. The partnership with ZSL will bring Globe’s total forest supported areas to 161 hectares.
“ZSL Philippines welcomes the partnership with Globe Telecom as it provides the opportunity to promote the importance of sustainable mangrove rehabilitation and conservation through the participation of communities, government, business sector, and Globe’s subscribers. They also serve as nesting grounds for hundreds of bird species and are home to a wide variety of reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and aquatic animals.
However, ZSL Philippines stated that since 1980, an estimated 20 to 35% of global mangroves have been lost, with current losses at around 1% per year as a result of human impact and natural disturbances.
As a purpose-driven company, Globe remains committed to the 10 UN Global Compact principles and contributes to 10 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals such as UN SDG No. 13 which underscores the importance of climate action to save lives and livelihoods to address climate emergencies, and UN SDG No. 15 which promotes the protection, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
To know more about Globe’s sustainability initiatives, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.html
