Shoots of optimism as the end of deforestation is in sight

One of the landmark agreements to come out of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow is the pledge to end and reverse deforestation by 2030.

Deforestation has been identified as one of the chief causes of the increase in greenhouse gases leading to climate change.

As a result, almost everyone in our industry – from specifiers and fabricators to installers and building owners – is being encouraged to make sustainable choices.

As one of the world’s leading suppliers of quality door components that satisfy strict environmental criteria, Halspan couldn’t be happier.

Why is it such a big deal?

The biggest step forward in protecting the world’s forests in a generation, COP26’s signing of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use is momentous for two reasons:

1. Currently, land use activity such as logging, deforestation and farming is responsible for almost a quarter of the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving global warming into the danger zone, so the less deforestation the better.

2. Deforestation also weakens one of our major defences against climate change since trees suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, acting as ‘carbon sinks’. Forests absorb around one third of all the global CO2 emitted each year.

Together, these make protecting forests and ending damaging land use one of the most significant things we as humans can do to limit catastrophic global warming.

What’s been agreed?

COP26’s unprecedented package of economic and political commitments includes: a pledge to halt and reverse global deforestation by 2030; almost £14bn of public and private funding to protect and restore forests, support indigenous communities and tackle wildfires; plus a commitment to remove deforestation from all global trade. Over 30 of the world’s largest financial organisations have also promised to stop investing in activities linked to deforestation.

Cause for celebration?

You’d think so, but some might say we’ve been here before. 2014’s New York Declaration on Forests, signed by 40 countries, aimed to half deforestation by 2020 and halt it by 2030. Since then, deforestation has actually increased!

So why should this latest pledge be any different? Mostly due to its signatories. Over 140 countries have signed up, including notable absentees from 2014’s Declaration, Brazil and Russia. Together, these two countries account for one third of the planet’s total forest area, including much of the Amazon rainforest where deforestation reached a 12-year high in 2020.

“All our timber door blanks and cores are made from sustainably-sourced materials. Choosing Halspan really does mean environmental compliance is built in.”

John Martin, Founder & Chairman, Halspan

What can you do?

As individuals, we all have a part to play in tackling climate change. As members of the construction industry, we all have a duty to reduce our environmental impact and make sustainable choices.

An early adopter of ‘green’ principles, Halspan has always taken its environmental responsibilities seriously. “All our timber door blanks and cores are made from sustainably-sourced materials,” explains Halspan’s Founder & Chairman John Martin. Certified to either FSC® or PEFC Chain of Custody, they also comply with EU Timber Regulation.

“As well as using only sustainably-sourced materials, Halspan and all our particle board and solid timber core mills are certified for Environmental Management in accordance with the ISO 14001 international standard,” adds John. “Choosing Halspan really does mean environmental compliance is built in.”

Looking for an even greener alternative? Halspan has developed advanced solutions designed to meet enhanced environmental performance requirements. For example, comply with BREEAM and LEED environmental standards.

For more information on Halspan’s comprehensive range of environmentally-compliant door systems, email info@halspan.com, call +44 (0)3300 563836 or visit www.halspan.com.