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How does deforestation impact wildlife and biodiversity? What you need to know.

Forests cover <a href="https://www.fao.org/state-of-forests/en/">31% of the land</a> on our planet, and they are critically important for stabilising the climate, absorbing approximately <a href="https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-briefs/forests-and-climate-change#:~:text=Approximately%202.6%20billion%20tonnes%20of,America%20%E2%80%93%20offer%20opportunities%20for%20restoration.">2.6 billion tonnes of CO2</a> each year. They also provide more than <a href="http://www.fao.org/state-of-forests/en/">86 million</a> green jobs and support the livelihoods of many more. An estimated<a href="http://www.fao.org/state-of-forests/en/"> 880 million people</a> spend part of their time collecting fuel wood or producing charcoal, and of people living in extreme poverty, over <a href="http://www.fao.org/state-of-forests/en/">90%</a> are dependent on forests for at least part of their livelihoods. 
However, forests aren’t just important to us. They are also important to the wildlife that lives within them. From the boreal forests in the far North to the famously biodiverse rainforests of the tropics, forests are thought to provide habitat for <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ca8642en/CA8642EN.pdf">80%</a> of amphibian species, <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ca8642en/CA8642EN.pdf">75%</a> of bird species and <a href="http://www.fao.org/3/ca8642en/CA8642EN.pdf">68% </a>of mammal species. 
But these forests are being destroyed and degraded at an alarming rate. Since 1990, it is estimated that <a href="https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/CA8642EN.pdf">420 million hectares</a> of forest have been lost through conversion to other land uses. In addition, more than <a href="https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/CA8642EN.pdf">100 million hectares</a> of forest are adversely affected by forest fires, pests, diseases, invasive species, drought, and other events that are exacerbated by human activity. The main driver of deforestation and associated loss of biodiversity <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/drivers-of-deforestation">continues to be agricultural expansion, particularly large-scale commercial agriculture including cattle ranching</a> and cultivation of soybean and oil palm. You can read more about the sectors driving deforestation <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/industries-and-sectors-driving-deforestation-what-you-need-to-know">here</a>.
We decided to explore how deforestation affects the wildlife that lives in and around the world’s forests.

Wildlife is increasingly becoming threatened by human activities and changing climates. The <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">IUCN Red List of Threatened species</a> is the world’s most comprehensive information source of the global extinction risk of animals, fungi, and plant species. It lists species and classifies how threatened they are according to the following categories: Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near threatened and Least Concern.
Approximately <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation">80%</a> of the world’s land-based species live in forests. When these forests are destroyed, animals lose their homes and are often unable to survive in the small fragments of forests left behind. The <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/12/habitat-destruction-malaysia-sumatran-rhino-critically-endangered-animals/">destruction and fragmentation of forests is the biggest driver of extinction</a> across the world. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature23285">A 2017 study</a> of more than 19,000 species of birds, amphibians, and mammals found that deforestation substantially increased the odds of species being listed on the IUCN red list as threatened and exhibiting declining populations. Even localised or small-scale deforestation can result in extinctions, as many species exist within small geographic areas.
There are a number of ways in which deforestation can impact wildlife living within and around forests.
Habitat loss – Habitat loss is probably the biggest threat to the variety of life on Earth today. It is identified as a main threat to <a href="https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/wildlife_practice/problems/habitat_loss_degradation/">85% of all species </a>described in the IUCN’s Red List. Deforestation can lead to a direct loss of wildlife habitat, with the removal of trees and other types of vegetation reducing the available food, shelter, and breeding habitat for animals. For example, tigers have lost an estimated <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/tiger">95% of their historic range</a> as their habitat has been destroyed, degraded, and fragmented by human activities.
Habitat fragmentation – While evidently interlinked, habitat loss and fragmentation are distinct concepts. Habitat loss, in relation to forests, refers to a reduction in the area of a forest, whilst habitat fragmentation involves the division of a once continuous area of forest into multiple patches. Smaller fragments of forest can support fewer animals and smaller populations are more at <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5182433/">risk of extinction</a>. For example, <a href="https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijecol/2012/108752/">giant pandas are particularly affected by habitat fragmentation</a>, and many giant panda populations are small and isolated, resulting in limited gene flow and increased risk of inbreeding and its associated disadvantages.
Human interaction – The destruction of forests and the splitting up into smaller areas makes them more accessible to humans. This increases the occurrence of human-wildlife conflict, where the needs and behaviour of wildlife impacts negatively on humans, or when humans negatively affect wildlife. For example, this can include increased hunting and poaching of animals as they become more accessible to hunters, increased occurrence of roadkill and road traffic accidents, and wildlife causing destruction of property, crops, livestock, and even human lives. Increased contact with humans can cause species numbers to dwindle, and even go extinct. <a href="https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/wildlife_practice/problems/habitat_loss_degradation/">An example </a>is in the palm oil plantations of Africa, Latin America and Asia where large areas of rainforest are cleared to grow palm crops. Orangutans, tigers, elephants, rhinos and many other species are increasingly isolated, and their sources of food and shelter are in decline.
Change in canopy structure – The forest canopy plays an important role blocking the sun’s rays during the day and retaining heat at night. Removing trees deprives the forest of portions of its canopy, and this disruption leads to <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation/">more extreme temperature swings </a>which can be harmful to animals.
These are some of the general effects that deforestation is having on species that reside in the world’s forests. But what about the areas that Ecologi works in? What animals are being affected by deforestation – and how are we helping?

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The island of Madagascar split from Africa over 160 million years ago, and since then it has developed its own distinct ecosystems and extraordinary wildlife. An estimated <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/madagascar">95%</a> of Madagascar’s reptiles, <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/madagascar">89%</a> of its plants and <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/madagascar">92%</a> of its mammals are endemic, meaning they exist nowhere else on Earth. 
However, more than <a href="https://www.lcluc.umd.edu/hotspot/deforestation-madagascar">90%</a> of Madagascar’s original forests have been destroyed, displacing entire animal species. The small-scale but widespread clearance of forests, through slash and burn agriculture and logging for firewood and charcoal production is jeopardising the island’s habitats. As a result, several species such as lemurs and chameleons that evolved here over millions of years may become extinct before the end of the century. Almost a third (<a href="https://www.iucn.org/news/species/202007/almost-a-third-lemurs-and-north-atlantic-right-whale-now-critically-endangered-iucn-red-list">31%</a>) of all lemur species in Madagascar are now Critically Endangered – just one step away from extinction – with <a href="https://www.iucn.org/news/species/202007/almost-a-third-lemurs-and-north-atlantic-right-whale-now-critically-endangered-iucn-red-list">98%</a> of them threatened. Among those recently listed as critically endangered in 2020 include the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18354/115572044">Verreaux’s Sifaka lemur</a> and the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/41573/115579496">Madame Berthe’s Mouse Lemur</a>, the smallest primate in the world.
Particularly of concern in Madagascar are the mangrove forests. Madagascar contains <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/8/2/106/pdf">2% of the world’s mangroves</a>, accounting for 20% of African mangrove forests. However these are being deforested at alarming rates, and entire mangrove estuaries are now gone, leaving the bare earth to wash away into the sea. Mangroves, as well as storing massive amounts of carbon, are really important for wildlife. They provide breeding grounds and nurseries for numerous fish species and shellfish, and help trap sediments that might otherwise adversely affect habitats for marine life such as seagrass beds and coral reefs. 
The mangroves in Madagascar have critical importance for numerous endemic species that are listed on the IUCN Red List. These include bird species that use the mangroves for nesting and roosting: the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22680252/92852755">Madagascar Teal</a> listed as Endangered; the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22695121/125395004">Madagascan Fish-Eagle</a> listed as Critically Endangered; the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697012/93598644">Madagascar Heron </a>listed as Endangered; and <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22731855/196574917">Malagasy Sacred Ibis</a> listed as Endangered.
This is why the <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/mangrove-planting-in-madagascar">mangrove planting projects</a> we support in the north west of the island are so important.  So far, the Ecologi community has funded the planting of over 45.6 million trees in Madagascan mangrove projects!

Mozambique – protection of elephant habitats

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This East African country has rich and unique ecosystems that are home to 236 species of mammal, 740 species of bird and 5,692 species of vascular plant. Additionally, Mozambique is the home to 200 endemic mammal species, such as the African elephant.
Poaching for ivory and meat has traditionally been the major cause of decline for <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/12392/3339343">African elephants</a>,however currently the biggest perceived threat is the loss and fragmentation of habitat, caused by ongoing human population expansion and rapid land conversion. This has increased the amount of human-elephant conflict, which further aggravates the threat to elephant populations.
In <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/reforesting-changalane-mozambique">Mozambique</a>, the Ecologi community has already funded the planting of over 5.9 million trees, helping to bring back a thriving ecosystem and prevent further deforestation by alleviating poverty and creating a long term maintenance and protection plan.

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One of Eden Reforestation Project’s <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/reforestation-in-bosawas-nicaragua">tree planting sites in Nicaragua</a> that we have supported is within the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, which forms part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor. This is a corridor that stretches between South and North America, connecting habitats and areas of tropical forest together to allow the movement of animals from one end of the corridor to the other.
This is especially important for <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/15953/123791436">jaguars</a>, which are endangered by habitat loss and fragmentation. Jaguars are the largest cat in the Americas, and have large round heads, short legs and a beautiful coat that is dotted with dark spots. These majestic animals are under serious pressure as their forest homes are being destroyed. Deforestation rates in Latin America are <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/commodity-deforestation-by-region">the highest in the world</a>, alongside tropical Africa. Fragmentation and displacement frequently lead to<a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/spcies/15953/123791436#threats"> lowering of density</a> of jaguars in forest patches. Their range has also contracted significantly: jaguars used to be found all the way from south-western USA down to central Argentina, but they now occupy less than half of their historical range.
Jaguars are a single species, with no subspecies, meaning that all populations are connected throughout their range. Therefore, connectivity is vital to these animals, and ensuring links throughout the Americas is critical to maintaining populations. If the corridor is cut up by roads and development this leads to isolated populations with fewer animals. These populations have less genetic diversity and are more <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2019/08/protecting-jaguars-wildlife-corridor-belize/">vulnerable to extinction.</a> 
At Ecologi, not only have we funded the <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/reforestation-in-bosawas-nicaragua">planting of trees in Nicaragua</a> to help maintain this corridor, but we also funded a project to <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/preserving-the-mesoamerican-biological-corridor-in-guatemala">protect existing rainforest</a> in the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor within Guatemala, thus helping to facilitate the movement of jaguars between different areas.

Scotland – wildlife is returning to the Dalry site

Deforestation is not just a tropical phenomenon. Vast areas of Scottish forests have also been cleared, and without human intervention it is likely that much of Scotland would be covered by trees. Ever since the first foresters entered Scotland’s ancient woodlands over 6,000 years ago, its trees and forests have been felled and harvested to make space for agriculture, homes and infrastructure. By the early 20th century, forest cover in Scotland, as well as in the rest of the UK, was reduced to around <a href="https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2019/02/scotlands-forestry-strategy-20192029/documents/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/govscot%3Adocument/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029.pdf">5%</a>. This has since increased to around <a href="https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2019/02/scotlands-forestry-strategy-20192029/documents/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/govscot%3Adocument/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029.pdf">18.5%</a>, which is higher than the rest of the UK, but still well below the EUs average of <a href="https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2019/02/scotlands-forestry-strategy-20192029/documents/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/govscot%3Adocument/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029.pdf">43%</a>.
Scotland’s forests and woodlands support a diverse range of over 1,000 species. These include <a href="https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2019/02/scotlands-forestry-strategy-20192029/documents/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/govscot%3Adocument/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029.pdf">172 protected species</a>, including the pine marten, twinflower, crested tit, scottish crossbill, black grouse and the capercaillie, as well as an estimated 75% of the UK’s red squirrel population.
A reforestation project in Scotland that the Ecologi community has supported is called Dalry, once home to native Scottish wildlife but which had become barren. This <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/reforesting-scotland">project</a> is allowing wildlife to come back to this area. Jim from the Future Forest Company, our tree planting partner on this site, says, “you now see hen harriers, an endangered species, regularly on site, when before the sighting of a bird of prey was rare”. This is a great sign that the ecosystem is starting to recover.

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The WWF estimates that more than <a href="https://www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/tree-clearing#gs.q5456g">80% of global deforestation</a> between 2015-30 will take place on 11 deforestation ‘fronts’. One of these is eastern Australia, in the states of Queensland and New South Wales (NSW). In Australia, tree-clearing is largely undertaken to create pasture for livestock, particularly for beef cattle production.
The impact of deforestation on wildlife is significant, with <a href="https://www.wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/tree-clearing#gs.q5456g">964 of the 1250</a> Australian terrestrial animals’ species listed as threatened, with habitat fragmentation identified as a threat. These include <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22684733/93044196#threats">Carnaby’s cockatoo</a>, the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22678108/131902050">southern cassowary</a>, <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6426/21957127">Bennet’s tree kangaroo</a>, and the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16752/21955261">Cape York rock wallaby</a>, as well as the iconic <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16892/166496779#threats">koala</a>. It is also estimated that, in NSW, between<a href="https://www.wwf.org.au/ArticleDocuments/353/AnimalWelfareImpacts_Summary_March19.pdf.aspx"> 4.9-10 million</a> native wild animals are killed in the process of tree-clearing each year.
Koalas are currently classified as<a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16892/166496779#threats"> vulnerable</a> with the key threat being continued habitat destruction, fragmentation, and modification, as the forests they live in are being rapidly cleared. Small populations of koalas in isolated sections of habitat are at the greatest risk of extinction. 
The <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/wildlife-corridors-koalas-australia">reforestation project in NSW </a>that the Australian Ecologi subscribers can support was established to try to protect the local koala population in the Northern rivers of NSW. The main goal is to establish a wildlife corridor by planting 50,000 trees to allow koalas to move between habitat fragments and help their populations to bounce back.

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More than <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/articles/sustainable-forestry-in-appalachia">150 tree species</a> can be found in Appalachia, making it one of the most diverse ecological regions in North America. The Appalachians are home to more than <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/articles/sustainable-forestry-in-appalachia">200 globally rare plants and animals</a>, and more than <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/articles/sustainable-forestry-in-appalachia">15,000 documented wildlife species</a>, including the caribou, moose, black bear, wild boar, fox, and numerous small mammals, thrive there.
Appalachia’s forests are of particular importance as a breeding ground for migratory birds that spend the breeding season within this region, before flying south to overwinter in Mexico and Central and South America. These species include the Baltimore oriole, broad-winged hawk, red-eyed vireo, ruby-throated hummingbird, scarlet tanager, Tennessee warbler, and the cerulean warbler. 
However, the resource wealth of the region has meant that much of the forest has been deforested and degraded by mining and timber operations, with an estimated <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/ecoregions/na0403">83% </a>of the original habitat having been lost. Approximately <a href="https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/articles/sustainable-forestry-in-appalachia">80%</a> of the cerulean warbler population breeds within the Appalachian forests. This species is <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22721740/153691320">threatened </a>by the conversion of its forest habitat for agricultural or urban use and the fragmentation of habitat left behind. 
A <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/rewilding-the-appalachia-usa">planting project in Appalachia</a> that Ecologi subscribers can support is planting native tree species to help the entire ecosystem recover. This will help to preserve the unique biodiversity of the Appalachian region.

We couldn’t talk about deforestation without mentioning the Amazon rainforest. This is the world’s largest rainforest and river system, which contains nearly a third of all the tropical rainforests left on Earth. Despite covering only <a href="https://www.wwf.org.uk/where-we-work/amazon">1%</a> of the planet’s surface, the Amazon is home to <a href="https://www.wwf.org.uk/where-we-work/amazon">10%</a> of all known wildlife species, with many more being described each year.
However, as a result of the major pressures being exerted on the Amazon (large-scale agriculture and cattle ranching, small-scale agriculture, road and hydropower infrastructure, mining and logging), it is being deforested on a massive scale. <a href="https://rainforestrescueinternational.org/amazon-rainforest-now-how-much-of-it-is-left/">20%</a> has already been lost.
As well as releasing vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, this destruction and deforestation has numerous, complex impacts on the wildlife that lives within the forests. One example of an animal under threat from deforestation in the Amazon is the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/black-spider-monkey">black spider monkey.</a> This is one of seven species of spider monkey found in Latin America, and it is one of the largest primates in South America. They play an essential role in the tropical rainforest ecosystem, aiding seed dispersal and thus helping the forest environment to continue to grow and thrive. However, these monkeys are threatened by the destruction of forests. They prefer mature tropical forests and seldom venture into disturbed habitats. This means that these monkeys are especially vulnerable to the effects of forest fragmentation.
Black spider monkeys don’t do so well in newly reforested areas, and that’s why some of the  projects Ecologi has supported (see <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/preserving-untouched-brazilian-rainforest">here</a>, <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/protecting-the-amazon-from-deforestation-in-brazil">here</a> and<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/peruvian-protection-of-the-amazon"> here</a>) that protect existing rainforests in the Amazon are so important. These projects preventing deforestation in Brazil help to preserve the habitats of the black spider monkey and many other creatures.
In fact, one project is designed partly with a specific species in mind. This <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/protecting-the-amazon-from-deforestation-in-brazil">avoided deforestation project in Almeirim, Brazil</a>, has objectives to protect the critically endangered Black bearded Saki (Chiropotes satanas). This species has decreased by at least 80% in the last 30 years and this trend is predicted to continue. In a scenario without the project we are helping to fund, the population trend of this species within this area is decreasing and becoming more threatened, mainly due to the loss of habitat caused by deforestation. However, in the scenario with this project, it is predicted there will be <a href="https://registry.verra.org/mymodule/ProjectDoc/Project_ViewFile.asp?FileID=45326&amp;IDKEY=a0e98hfalksuf098fnsdalfkjfoijmn4309JLKJFjlaksjfla9062504554">improvements</a> in the trend of the population of Chiropotes satanas.

A note on deforestation and climate change 

Deforestation is also impacting the ability of species to adapt to future climate change. For millennia, wildlife around the world has moved up and down mountains, and towards and away from the equator in order to cope with changes in the world’s temperature. However, the deforestation of tropical forests is creating a patchwork landscape where natural habitat is fragmented. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-019-0529-2">Recent research</a> has found that most tropical forest habitat is currently too disconnected to provide pathways to cooler climates, meaning that wildlife will struggle to escape the impacts of climate change.

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The majority of the world’s wildlife relies on forests for their food, shelter, and nesting sites. Worldwide, species are being threatened as their homes are torn down at alarming rates to make way for agriculture and infrastructure. It’s really important that we do our best to combat deforestation, not only for our sake, but for the sake of the animals and plants that live there. There are lots of organisations that are doing great work in this field.

Speak to our team about how your business can support projects both protecting and restoring forests

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Meet our Impact Team

Ecologi’s mission is to inspire and empower businesses to accelerate global climate action. In everything we do, we’re guided by our company values:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Planet first</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Always accountable</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Change-makers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Act, together.</li>
</ol>
Because of our values, we put impact for our climate, nature and people, right at our heart: and this is driven by our Impact Team.

<h2>Meeting the Impact Team </h2>
The Impact Team is responsible for directing our efforts toward meaningful climate action aligned with the latest science and industry best practice. The team’s role encompasses several key areas, including:
<ul>
<li>Ensuring adherence to best practice through our research bases, rigorous due diligence processes, and expert understanding of key sustainability frameworks.</li>
<li>Building and managing relationships with some of the world’s leading implementation partners to facilitate the delivery of high-impact climate solutions.</li>
<li>Delivery of emissions measurement and reporting projects, assisting customers with data collection, emissions calculations, and helping them identify effective decarbonisation strategies.</li>
<li>Engaging with academia, including the stewardship of the Ecologi Climate Committee — our advisory network of academic and industry experts on topics relevant to our work.</li>
<li>Providing climate and sustainability expertise and strategic guidance to align our products and services with the latest in environmental science and industry best practices and to guide our internal policy.</li>
<li>Driving our industry forward through participating in industry advisory groups, policy advocacy groups, consortia and alliances with Ecologi’s peers and partners in corporate sustainability, </li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
</ul>
In this article, we’ll meet the team making it all possible!

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<h2>Sam Jackson, Director of Climate Science &amp; Impact</h2>
MSc, MA, PIEMA REnvP, FRSA
Sam is department lead for Impact at Ecologi, and a member of Ecologi’s senior leadership team. He is responsible for providing climate and sustainability expertise and strategic guidance to the business, with the priority of aligning Ecologi’s products and services with the latest in environmental science and industry best practice. Sam is an advisor to a number of industry groups and a regular speaker at sustainability industry events.
Sam has a varied background in climate science, international operations, development, and environmental governance. In his early career, he worked primarily in the charity and sustainable tourism sectors before moving permanently into climate and corporate sustainability. Sam holds Master’s degrees in International Relations and Climate Change Science and Policy from the University of Exeter and the University of Bristol. He is a Practitioner Member of IEMA, a Registered Environmental Practitioner with the Society for the Environment, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

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<h2>Eleanor Turner, Climate Solutions Manager</h2>
MSc, BSc, PIEMA 
Eleanor has a senior role within the Impact team, helping to guide our strategic direction and shape our theory of change, as well as supporting the team across all Impact functions. Eleanor leads much of our external engagement with academia, including managing the Ecologi Climate Committee: our advisory network of academic and industry experts across a wide range of topics relevant to our work. She also works cross-functionally around the business, to drive much of Ecologi’s own internal sustainability efforts.
Eleanor holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of York, in addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography. Eleanor’s career began as a sustainability consultant within the engineering and construction industry, focusing on BREEAM assessments and decarbonisation across the public sector. Eleanor then moved to an in-house sustainability role within the consumer goods industry, focused on internal sustainability strategy and greenhouse gas inventory management, before joining Ecologi as our Climate Solutions Manager.

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<h2>George Gibson, Senior Carbon Accounting Manager</h2>
George provides technical expertise to support the development of the carbon accounting methodology underpinning our Ecologi Zero platform for businesses. George also leads the consultative delivery of emissions measurement and reporting projects with our customers, guiding them through data collection and helping them to identify decarbonisation strategies. Key to his role is ensuring compliance with the relevant standards and that the tool provides a comprehensive and accurate account of a business’ emissions.
With a degree in Economics and Management from Cardiff University, specialising in economic development, George has previously worked as a sustainability consultant providing insight into compiling greenhouse gas inventories to measure and report emissions, developing decarbonisation strategies, setting Science-Based Targets and supporting businesses in attaining B Corp certification.

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<h2>Katie Pownall, Impact Partnerships Manager</h2>
MBiol, MRSB, ACIEEM
Katie works closely with Ecologi’s reforestation and other implementation partners, ensuring that funding from our community goes to the best projects, and sharing stories about the projects with the Ecologi community. As Ecologi continues to grow, Katie is helping to identify new types of impact projects, enabling Ecologi customers to fund cutting-edge climate action with some of the most well-respected organisations around the world.
Katie has a Master’s degree in Biology from University of York, where she focused on ecology and conservation, and during which she worked in the North York Moors National Park’s Conservation department, where she gained knowledge about protected species, habitat management, and on-the-ground conservation work. This  hands-on experience combined with her understanding of the theory of conservation and ecology helps Katie to guide Ecologi’s decisions so that we optimise our positive impact on people, biodiversity, and the planet.

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<h2>Lucy Gemmell, Carbon Portfolio Manager</h2>
In her role as Carbon Portfolio Manager, Lucy drives our in-house due diligence to identify top-tier carbon avoidance and removal projects, manages our relationships with project developers, and helps to educate customers in ensuring they are communicating about their impact correctly. In her work, she manages our relationships with a number of our key strategic impact partners including Sylvera and Earth Blox. Lucy originally joined Ecologi in 2022 as part of our Commercial team and spent a year working cross-departmentally, immersing herself in the voluntary carbon market before transitioning permanently into the Impact team. 
Lucy has a diverse background, having managed a boutique real estate brokerage in her earlier career and chaired the board of an education-based NGO in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is currently pursuing a Master&#8217;s degree in Climate Change and Development, following the recent completion of an ESG Specialisation from the Corporate Finance Institute.

Alongside the Impact team, we have some incredible individuals who assist us in reaching our goals and supporting our work. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, and their contributions help us stay on track and maintain momentum.

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<h2>Monsoon Modi, Commercial Operations Executive</h2>
Monsoon originally joined Ecologi in 2022 as part of our Customer Success team and spent a year working cross-departmentally before moving into the Commercial team, now as an Operations Executive. 
Key to her role is optimising commercial projects, building commercial resources and providing support for small businesses along their sustainability journey. Monsoon also supports the Impact Team with internal educational material, project reports and administrative tasks. 
With a degree in Politics and International Relations, Monsoon is currently pursuing a Master&#8217;s degree in Environmental Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh.

<h2>Climate Committee </h2>
Ecologi’s Climate Committee was founded in 2021 to bring together industry experts and research professionals who sit outside of the business to bring specialist knowledge and support to maximise our climate impact. Our committee members bring best-practice thinking, and ongoing developments with regard to global climate science, carbon accounting methodology, nature-based projects and the voluntary carbon market through our three working groups, Nature, Climate and Policy.
The committee supports the Impact team through providing expert knowledge across specialist fields which help shape the future of the team, and the wider business. In turn, this improves our internal decision-making and strategy development through staying at the forefront of industry developments and innovation.

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Case studies

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Case study: the Focusrite Group

<h2>About the Focusrite Group </h2>
<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/focusritegroup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Focusrite</a> is not your average audio technology group. This passionate bunch is united by a single objective: to smash through barriers and unleash boundless creativity in the world of sound.
Founded in 1985 and based in High Wycombe, this team of over 500 is on a mission to remove barriers to creativity. And they believe that technology can play an important role in breaking down other barriers too, including geographical, social, economic, and even environmental. 
Focusrite is an organisation that’s driven by purpose, with a keen desire to be a force for good in the world. Responsible practices are an essential part of how they do business, and that includes keeping a keen eye on their impact on the environment.

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<h2>Issue</h2>
Focusrite has been working to reduce its environmental impact for many years and in 2020 developed a carbon accounting process that now provides near real-time data on Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions.
This progress has allowed the team to set goals, but they are in the process of applying to set Science Based Targets (SBT) to replace them. In the meantime they are already aligning their approach with SBT guidelines. 
As a UK-based company, Focusrite is committed to 2050 as the ultimate deadline for net-zero, but they want to get there quicker. So their approach is not to set a net-zero target year until they have gone through the SBT application process by 2026 at the latest, and instead use carbon reduction metrics and targets to set them up for long-term success.

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BST Hyde Park 2013 - London - MLA - Andrew Land

<h2>Challenges</h2>
The team at Focusrite use emissions data to guide action, and their emissions are largely dominated by their hardware products, which account for 96% of GHG emissions. 
They have already made good progress in reducing the use of aluminium, plastic, and product packaging, with many more areas under review. As they roll out changes across their product range, the team aims to increase the pace of their reductions, with any new products being designed from more sustainable materials from the start.
Focusrite is striving to become a sustainability leader in its industry, setting the standard for peers to emulate. Environmental stewardship is a big part of that, and the message from the entire employee base is that they want to support nature beyond their value chain. This is why they reached out to Ecologi to help them do more good for our planet.

<h2>Solution </h2>
Focusrite has worked with Ecologi since 2021. Ecologi supports the team to fund tree planting for internal initiatives like employee charity fundraising, but also to offset the wood used in their products. The wood used is already FSC certified, so by planting trees with Ecologi they replace more than they consume. 
Focusrite also works with Ecologi to support projects to mitigate any remaining Scope 1 and 2 emissions they can’t avoid. So far they have funded 17 projects, including a solar power project in Morocco, supplying high efficiency cookstoves in Somalia, and preserving Amazonian rainforest in Brazil.
The team isn&#8217;t shy about sharing Focusrite’s success. They talk about their climate impact prominently in their annual report and employee newsletter, and dive into the details in their dedicated environment and climate reports. 
Taking such positive climate action has boosted Focusrite’s reputation with customers and colleagues alike. They have enjoyed press coverage for their tree planting, which positioned them as a leader in their industry, and they have even had employees join the company purely because of their environmental sustainability programme.

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<h2>Outcome</h2>
Since 2021, the Focusrite Group has funded the planting of 89,080 trees, supported the prevention of 132 tonnes of CO2e from being emitted, and funded the removal of 81 tonnes of CO2e from the atmosphere. In total 17 different projects have been funded.

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<h2>Is your business ready to take climate action?</h2>
If this article has inspired your business to start its climate journey, talk to our team today.

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What happened at COP29

This year’s Conference of the Parties is underway in Baku, Azerbaijan and will run until the 22nd of November. Our team at Ecologi are monitoring the daily events to give you real-time analysis and reactions to the developments and agreements taking place. 
What is COP29? Click <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/uncategorised/what-to-expect-at-cop29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> for a comprehensive guide to all things COP29. 
What happened at COP28? Click <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/whats-happening-at-cop28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to read a full report of the event in 2023.

<h2>Overall sentiment &#8211; COP29 wrap-up</h2>
The overall sentiment at COP29 reflects a little bit of progress and an awful lot of frustration. As is often the case at the climate COPs, any progress that does get made is often overshadowed by the missed opportunities – and this one is no exception on that front.
The largest positive from this COP is in the agreements made on operationalising carbon market standards under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This consensus signals hope for greater transparency, higher standards, and clear opportunities for businesses to engage in global climate action projects, in a new carbon market managed under the UN framework. These draft documents on Article 6 were published on the first day of the COP and have stayed relatively static since then – indicating that agreement was achieved early. They did come under criticism though, with the Presidency offering up documents to be accepted as-is, with no opportunity for countries to scrutinise the wording.
The COP as a whole, and its broader negotiations on a range of other topics, have been marred by tensions, frustrations, and geopolitics. Proceedings were thrown somewhat, by world leaders disappearing from the world leaders’ summit at the conference and reconvening in Brazil (next year’s COP host country) for the G20 – leading to <a href="https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/media/18-11-2024-declaracao-de-lideres-g20.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a multilateral G20 declaration</a> which seemed to both celebrate and chastise the country negotiators back in Baku. 
Geopolitics making things difficult – COP29 has taken place against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions between a wide range of countries, which have diverted attention and resources away from climate action and have complicated negotiations. Add to that the problems coming from the COP itself – from country boycotts, to backhanded oil and gas deals, to threats to drop out of the Paris Agreement by Argentina (a threat which was later clarified as rescinded) and by the USA (which is likely to be upheld under the incoming administration) – and it’s easy to wonder how nearly 200 countries can be convinced to agree on anything at all. Let alone an issue with the gravity, urgency, and complexity of climate change.
Poor management by the Presidency – if you’ve followed our daily coverage you’ll have spotted over the past two weeks how this COP has felt quite chaotic and frenetic. It hasn’t really felt throughout proceedings that the Presidency is in control of things – and this applies on the diplomatic level but also in a practical sense, with uncomfortable stories coming out of the conference centre about poorly-managed bathroom facilities and catering. On the draft decisions, the Presidency’s strategy has been cavalier and uncharitable, with something of a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude to negotiations which isn’t helpful or conducive to compromise. On the last day of the COP, the Climate Action Network awarded the Azerbaijani Presidency their Fossil of the Day award because it “doesn’t understand the gravity of the Presidency, or for that matter the value of civil society”. This is a damning assessment, but one which is hard to disagree with.
Somehow, fossil fuels are still the elephant in the room – we heard from UNEP before COP29 started that <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global emissions are still rising</a>, driven by continued fossil fuel use – and yet COP29 has failed to advance any fossil fuel reduction commitments. In Dubai last year, we saw the agreed cover text mention the “phase-down of unabated coal power”, the “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems” and the “phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies” (which was pretty weak in itself). This year, the fossil fuel lobby was typically massive – with over 1,700 fossil fuel lobbyists in attendance. Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence showing that fossil fuels must stay in the ground, the dominance of fossil fuel interests has continued to undermine progress, with the Arab Group in particular this year refusing to back any texts that reference the phasing out of fossil fuels. The COP29 texts on the UAE dialogue and the Mitigation Work Programme (which ought to have been used to further the outcomes of last year’s Global Stocktake) were meant to enhance climate mitigation. The final version of the MWP fails to mention the transition away from fossil fuels, the 1.5ºC warming goal or the Global Stocktake and its outcomes, and the UAE dialogue on how to proceed on the Global Stocktake wasn’t adopted at all. Interestingly, the earliest drafts did mention the 1.5ºC warming goal and the seriousness of 2023 being the warmest year on record. As the drafts progressed this messaging was removed, despite many calling for the final text to be more ambitious and specific. A deal on the MWP was adopted during the closing plenary session without any intervention. 
Article 6 and UK government provide a few reasons to be positive for businesses 
Whilst the overall sentiment at this year’s COP29 has been disappointment, particularly regarding the pace of global climate action and the lack of firm commitments from key global players, there are still some glimmers of hope for businesses. Among the more promising developments is the aforementioned progress on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the UK government’s climate commitments. The outcomes on Article 6 pose a step forward for businesses. By advancing frameworks for international carbon markets, COP29 has created a clearer pathway for companies to engage in high-quality carbon offsetting and trading, fostering transparency and credibility in the process. This opens up new opportunities for organisations globally to progress towards net-zero targets whilst supporting climate action projects and global emission reductions. 
The UK government’s renewed focus on climate policy has created incentives such as increased funding for green technology, support for nature based projects and streamlined regulation for sustainable investment, catalysing innovation and market growth. The developments at COP29 have reinforced the role of businesses as a key actor in the fight against climate change when world leaders fall short on agreeing ambitious climate goals. Through embracing innovation, adopting bold emission reduction targets and funding climate action, companies can fill the leadership gap and accelerate progress where governments falter.

COP29 - Daily updates 

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The two-week conference, scheduled for November 11th-22nd will bring together representatives from all countries that have agreed to be bound by the UNFCCC. The conference takes place annually to negotiate new measures, develop policy and review progress against the goal of limiting climate change.
Azerbaijan, the host nation, has received its fair share of criticism for becoming this year’s COP president. Oil and Gas make up 92.5% of the country’s GDP per capita, and President Ilham Aliyev has stated his support for oil and gas producing nations to continue investing in the sector, clashing with last year’s COP28 outcome in which all nations called for accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.

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<h2>The key talking points and priorities in the run up to COP29</h2>
This year, priorities are focused on climate finance, with COP29 being coined the Finance COP, this is reiterated by the programme of scheduling with Finance, Investment and Trade taking priority spot on the first day of discussions.
Energy and Science are also high on the agenda, while Nature and Biodiversity and Oceans and Coastal Zones take more of a back seat, only being scheduled for the final day before negotiations; naturally, this comes as a disappointment as this signals these areas of discussion are considered lower priority when compared with energy and finance.
It is likely momentum and attendance will decrease by the end of week two and could undermine the urgency needed to address the implications of climate change on nature globally and reduce their integration into wider climate strategies.
The following key priorities are expected to lead discussions at COP29;
<h3>New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG)</h3>
Developing countries, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change, require substantial financial support to transition to green economies and adapt to climate impacts. COP29 aims to agree on a new commitment to provide annual climate finance to developing countries, replacing a goal of $100 billion per annum set in 2009 at COP15. The World Economic Forum states that ‘the NCQG must be ambitious yet realistic, balancing the financial capacities of developed countries with the urgent needs of developing nations’.
<h3>Growing the loss and damage fund</h3>
Established and operationalised at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, the loss and damage fund acknowledges the disproportionate burden that climate change places on vulnerable nations. It is a financial mechanism that helps countries cope with the loss and damages they face due to climate change – this includes loss of life, damage to infrastructure and displacement.
At COP29, there is hope to see significant progress in the fund’s operationalisation and funding. Countries are expected to make substantial pledges to the fund to ensure it can meet the needs of developing countries. To date, major contributors include the UAE, Germany and the United States. Other big-emitting countries such as China and Saudi Arabia are yet to announce their intention to contribute to the fund.
<h3>Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)</h3>
At COP29, nations will be encouraged to commit to more ambitious and robust Nationally Determined Contributions; these are climate action commitments made by countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change mitigation, aligning with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
NDCs are submitted every 5 years to the UNFCCC, and with the next global stocktake approaching NDCs are to be put forward by February 2025, demonstrating increased ambition and concrete action plans. At COP29, there is likely to be a push to provide financial and technical support to developing countries to enable them to outline and implement NDCs of their own.
<h3>Article 6 of the Paris Agreement</h3>
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement aims to promote the use of carbon markets to achieve their climate targets. At COP29 we can expect discussions with regards to how a robust and well-regulated international carbon market can be developed and maintained. A key goal of COP29 is to finalise the rulebook for Article 6, which will provide clear guidelines for its implementation, and address concerns with regards to the quality of carbon credits, double counting and sustainable development.

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<h2>Who is attending COP29</h2>
With just 2 months to go until COP29 kicks off, there has been minimal discussion with regards to which World Leaders we can expect at the event.
From the UK, Ed Miliband, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, is confirmed to be leading UK negotiations for COP29. However, with the USA election taking place just 5 days before COP29 begins, it is unlikely that the President will be in attendance. As the event draws closer, we can expect more countries to confirm which delegates will attend.

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<h2>What to expect during COP29</h2>
An anticipated 40,000 participants are heading to COP29, almost half the number of attendees than at <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/whats-happening-at-cop28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COP28</a> in Dubai last year; this poses the question of if bigger is necessarily better, fewer attendees reduce the environmental impact of the conferences, with the UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell <a href="https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/04/24/peak-cop-un-looks-to-shrink-baku-and-belem-climate-summits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying he hopes to see fewer people attending COPs </a>as size does not necessarily translate to the quality of outcomes.
COP29 still presents a crucial opportunity to make significant strides in climate action, by focusing on climate finance and reaffirming climate goals, countries can collectively work together to provide the funding and tools necessary to shape the trajectory of global climate efforts.

<h2>Partner with us for COP29 and beyond</h2>
Over the next 12 months we want to support as many businesses as possible to tackle climate change.
If your business is interested in a partnership to help scale climate action or starting its climate journey during COP29 or beyond, get in touch.

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