en.Wedoany.com Reported - London Gatwick Airport has announced the launch of two new carbon removal partnerships, with a total investment of approximately $1.3 million (1 million pounds), dedicated to nature-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR) efforts.

Under these partnerships, Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) is supporting the work of the Kent and Somerset Wildlife Trusts, aiming to transform degraded former agricultural land into species-rich habitats over the coming years. The airport, which has previously held the Wildlife Trusts' Biodiversity Benchmark certification for 11 consecutive years, marks the mid-term phase of its "Decade of Change" sustainability strategy with this collaboration.

The selected projects are facilitated by the non-profit organization Wilder Carbon, which connects sustainability-focused businesses with wildlife organizations developing high-quality environmental projects. Through these two collaborations, GAL will invest in removing a total of 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent via Wilder Carbon projects, located at the Ightham Valley Nature Reserve in Kent and Honeygar Farm in Somerset.

This carbon removal volume will be used to offset the remaining carbon dioxide emissions that the airport operator cannot eliminate between 2030 and 2039. According to Gatwick Airport, after the operator successfully implements a capital plan of approximately $336 million (250 million pounds) to minimize carbon dioxide emissions as much as possible, this carbon removal will cover a significant portion of the remaining emissions.

The Ightham Valley Nature Reserve project is converting arable land and pasture into a mix of species-rich grasslands, wet floodplain meadows, extensions of lowland mixed deciduous broadleaf woodland, scrub, and scrub wood pasture. Meanwhile, at Honeygar Farm in Somerset, an 80-hectare former dairy farm is being restored to grazing marsh and wetland. Georgia Dent, Chief Executive Officer of the Somerset Wildlife Trust, stated that this collaboration will help restore habitats and ensure carbon is retained in the healthy peat at Honeygar, bringing lasting benefits to the local climate and wildlife.

Mark Edwards, Head of Sustainability at London Gatwick Airport, commented that the airport is firmly committed to achieving net-zero emissions for directly controlled emissions by 2030. The partnership with Wilder Carbon enables the airport to support local, high-integrity nature-based projects that deliver significant additional benefits beyond carbon removal.

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