Eni and Côte d'Ivoire sign strategic partnership for forest conservation

International energy company, Eni S.p.A, signed an agreement on November 28, 2024, with the Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Water and Forests to launch a project to protect and restore 14 forests across a total area of 155,000 hectares. This project aligns with Côte d'Ivoire's national development plans to tackle deforestation and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For Eni, it represents a significant step towards achieving net-zero upstream emissions in the Baleine development.

Following a feasibility study launched in September 2022, Eni, in collaboration with local stakeholders, identified specific areas within the Lagunes and Comoé regions of Côte d'Ivoire for this project. Eni will take the lead in managing this initiative alongside Côte d'Ivoire's institutions, concentrating on two main aspects: forest preservation and restoration.

The first area of focus is the preservation of existing forests and biodiversity. This involves strengthening existing control measures to prevent deforestation, fires, and poaching and conducting extensive awareness and training programs for local communities and institutions. The second area focuses on forest restoration, with plans to plant 12 million native trees across 130,000 hectares of degraded land. Furthermore, the project will encourage agroforestry practices aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and improving the livelihoods of local farming communities.

Eni's involvement in this project highlights its commitment to sustainable development and its goal of achieving net-zero upstream emissions in the Baleine development. This partnership serves as a model for how corporations can collaborate with governments to address climate change and biodiversity loss while driving sustainable development.