The Forestry Projects for Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change (PROMACC) are an innovative tool to promote sustainable forest management and strengthen their capacity to adapt to climate change. These projects combine environmental conservation with the generation of climate credits, a mechanism that allows the recognition and valorization of the ecosystem benefits that forests bring to the territory.

From ICSuro we actively participated in the workshop-debate “Climate credits in cork oak forests” and presentation of the PROMACC “Suredes de les Salines” by the Consorci Forestal de Catalunya and the Center for Forest Property. The PROMACC “Suredes de les Salines – Alt Empordà” is the first forestry project focused on cork oak specifically aimed at mitigating and adapting to climate change with the generation of climate credits. During the day we were able to work in a shared way with key agents from the forestry sector and the institutional field.

The forest ecosystems of Catalonia are in a transitional stage, of expansion and densification. Multifunctional forest management is a tool to achieve more resilient landscapes to climate change. The Forest Climate Credits system of Catalonia is a public instrument of voluntary financing based on Ecosystem Services Payment (PES) systems that integrates environmental and social policies. Climate Credits (CC) are generated from the implementation of local forestry projects.

There are currently 11 PROMACC 2022-2026 which are expected to generate 594 Climate Credits. The average impact of a climate credit over 15 years is 40tCO2 fixed and avoided, 1900m3 of water provision and an improvement of 22% of biodiversity. The average price of a CC is between €3,700 and €4,300 and can be acquired by companies, administrations and individuals to decarbonise.

Cork forests are Mediterranean ecosystems of high strategic value that, beyond the production of cork, contribute to carbon capture, biodiversity conservation, water regulation and soil protection. Their sustainable management promotes forests that are more resilient to drought and fire risk, while also contributing to maintaining economic activity and cultural values linked to the territory.

The presentation of the PROMACC “Les Suredes de les Salines – Alt Empordà” thus represents a step forward in the promotion of innovative forest management that highlights the strategic role of cork forests in the face of current climate challenges.

More information in the study: https://futurecork.es/administracio/upload/gestio_arxius/PROMACC_alcornocales-Salines-Alt-Emporda.pdfand the informative leaflet  https://futurecork.es/administracio/upload/gestio_arxius/Infografia-PROMAC-4.pdf or on the web https://creditsclimaticsforestals.cat/promacc/