Investing in health, investing in nature

Our health. Our climate. Our environment. At AstraZeneca, we recognize the strong interconnection between human and planetary health.

Climate change and nature loss are interconnected crises. Forests and biodiversity play an essential role in mitigating the impacts of climate change, regulating the health of our planet and supporting human health. Stopping deforestation and restoring forests could provide up to 30% of the climate solution.¹ That’s because forests absorb carbon from the atmosphere and keep it ‘locked up’ in their roots, leaves, soil and surrounding vegetation.² Planting trees can also combat air pollution, safeguard water resources, and lower surface and air temperatures.

Reforestation also helps foster biodiversity by providing a home and source of food for a wide range of animals and plants. It can positively impact livelihoods and local communities, including providing food security and improving nutrition and health through agroforestry.³ It also helps to reduce the risk of landslides and flooding by soaking up excess rainwater and reducing the levels of moisture in soil.⁴

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 10 million hectares of forest are cut down each year.⁵ It’s vital that we help protect and restore this crucial part of the world’s natural ecosystem.

Reforestation around the world

AZ Forest is a global initiative to plant and maintain 200 million trees across six continents by 2030 spanning over 100,000 hectares worldwide.⁶ Working with local communities, governments and ecological experts, AstraZeneca is delivering reforestation at scale, supporting biodiversity and livelihoods.

AZ Forest is part of our science-based Ambition Zero Carbon strategy, which focuses on the decarbonization of our value chain in line with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting planetary warming to 1.5° Celsius.

By the end of 2023, we had planted more than 19 million trees across Australia, Brazil, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Rwanda, the US and the UK with our partners.⁴ Each project is co-designed with experts who work closely with local communities to select diverse, locally-appropriate species to maximize climate resilience and biodiversity benefits and reduce risks from pests and diseases. By monitoring our large-scale reforestation projects, we help ensure their long-term survival.⁶

And because local people are involved, including farmers to traditional councils, local research institutes and other indigenous knowledge-holders, we ensure that each project will have value for that area.

Australia: In partnership with Greening Australia and One Tree Planted, more than four million trees have been planted, including 260 native tree species, potentially supporting vulnerable and endangered wildlife species, including the glossy black cockatoo, honey possum and black-gloved wallaby.⁶

Brazil: A partnership with Biolífica Ambipar and Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicas (IPE) called “Corridors for Life” will plant 12 million trees within the Atlantic Forest, with over 100 native species planned in each project area. This program will also build an important habitat for vulnerable and endangered species of flora and fauna.⁶

Indonesia: In partnership with One Tree Planted and Trees4Trees, more than three million trees have been planted, with over 19,000 farmers opting into agroforestry or conservation activities.⁶

India: A partnership with Earthbanc and local implementation partners in the state of Meghalaya will plant an estimated 62 million trees, focusing on a diverse mix of species, restoring nature in this degraded biodiversity hotspot while supporting farming livelihoods.⁶

Ghana: Through a community-led program that is part of a global network of “Living Labs,” we will plant more than 4.7 million surviving trees in a project that seeks to boost forest restoration, agroforestry, biodiversity and nature-based business models for small-holder farmers.⁶

Rwanda: A pilot project with partners that aims to plant more than 5.8 million trees over the full project lifetime, with a focus on agroforestry and agricultural land management which will benefit local communities and improve livelihoods, including more than 30,000 farming households.⁶

UK: We are planting one million trees in Scotland and England with Forestry England and Borders Forest Trust Scotland to create high-quality woodland areas that provide additional green space in support of physical and mental wellbeing.⁶

US: We’re restoring hundreds of kilometers of riverside woodlands by planting one million trees in partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.⁶

Vietnam: AstraZeneca is developing a project which aims to plant 22.5 million trees across at least 30,500 hectares to restore Vietnam’s forests and landscapes. This new investment will allow biodiversity to flourish and provide sustainable livelihoods for more than 17,000 small-holder farmers.⁶

In addition to AZ Forest, our regional offices also support separate local landscape regeneration initiatives, helping to restore and protect their surrounding areas.