Sequestration of carbon emissions - Bel group announces a pioneering partnership between public and private actors for the restoration of peatlands in Jura (France)

The Bel group, committed to the decarbonization of food.

In February 2022, Bel group announced the strengthening of its carbon ambition in order to help limit global warming below the threshold of +1.5°C by the end of this century. Bel group is therefore committed to contributing to the carbon neutrality of its factories by 2025 and of its entire value chain by 2050. To achieve this objective, Bel is implementing a carbon sequestration strategy. its residual and incompressible carbon emissions by selecting and supporting projects with a positive impact on the environmental, social and economic levels; a large-scale program representing an investment of around 10 million euros per year. It is in this context that it is today making the pioneering choice to rely on the tremendous carbon sequestration potential of peatlands, particularly in the Jura region, the Group's historical birthplace.

Indeed, peatlands, which represent only 3% of the world's emerged land, contain around 1/3 of the carbon stored in the soil; protecting and rehabilitating them is a crucial issue.

A pioneering partnership between public and private actors serving a natural treasure.

To build its climate and biodiversity strategy, Bel group has approached associations, NGOs, organizations and public establishments with expertise in natural spaces. This work made it possible to identify, the CEN of Franche-Comté and the ÉPAGE du Haut-Doubs Haute-Loue and Doubs-Dessoubre, peatland rehabilitation projects in Doubs and Jura.

To ensure the successful implementation of its program, Bel is committed to supporting the development of a Jura company specialized in ecological engineering (Jura Natura Services), with both the technical and material expertise to rehabilitate these complex environments.

The CEN of Franche-Comté and the EPAGE Haut-Doubs Haute-Loue and Doubs-Dessoubre ensure, within the framework of this partnership, the scientific solidity of Bel group's program, participate in the implementation of the projects and their good coherence with public programs.

This pioneering and unprecedented partnership bringing together Bel group and public stakeholders will make it possible to double the speed of execution of peatland rehabilitation projects in Jura

Peatlands, allies of the climate and life

Peatlands are humid ecosystems that particularly contribute to the sequestration of carbon from the atmosphere. Capable of capturing twice as much carbon as all the world's forests combined, they are a major lever for sequestering carbon emissions on a global scale. Peatlands also provide many vital services to nature, by regulating and filtering water resources and hosting a variety of flora and fauna - moss, insects, amphibians, reptiles, flowering plants, mushrooms, birds, butterflies.

Antoine Fiévet, Président of Bel group: « Peatlands are little-known yet exceptional natural ecosystems that play an essential role in carbon sequestration, fresh water supply, but also in the preservation and restoration of biodiversity. With this partnership, dedicated to their rehabilitation, alongside the CEN of Franche-Comté and the EPAGE Haut-Doubs Haute-Loue and Doubs-Dessoubre, we demonstrate once again that the responsible action of Bel group in favor of environment and territories within which - and for which - we operate, is an investment in the sustainability of our activity and in service of our commitment to offering healthier and more sustainable food, accessible to all».

Philippe Alpy, President of EPAGE Haut-Doubs Haute-Loue: « In order to meet the challenges of climate change, scaling up the restoration of degraded wetlands, and in particular peatlands, is a crucial issue. Public and associative actors began this massification of actions in 2014 by approaching the scale of the Jura massif, through a European LIFE program then the launch of a 2nd LIFE Climate program in 2022. The wish of Bel group to invest alongside us in a spirit of cooperation and coherence of action, on a vast territorial scale, is a great opportunity to further accelerate the process »

François Cucherousset, President of EPAGE Doubs-Dessoubre: « EPAGE Doubs Dessoubre, a public structure acting in favor of aquatic environments, wetlands, water resources and biodiversity, has been involved in a peatland rehabilitation program on its territory for 10 years and has decided to included in 2021 in a new European program for the benefit of peatlands until 2030. The commitment to a public/private partnership with Bel Group will make it possible to further accelerate projects to rehabilitate peatlands in the region, with a view to mitigation and fight against ongoing global warming, and will also allow us to preserve and maintain the specificity and richness of these landscapes so characteristic of the Jura Massif. »

Muriel Loriod-Bardi, President of the CEN of Franche-Comté: « Thanks to the peatland restoration work carried out over the past few years by the Franche-Comté Conservatory of Natural Spaces and its partners, the inhabitants of the Jura massif have become proud of these precious natural environments which offer so much beauty. Today, peat bogs strengthen the attachment of Franche-Comté people to their territory. There is still a lot to do to rehabilitate and save them, which is why it is essential that more and more players get involved in their preservation, like Bel group. »

About Bel group

Bel is a major player in food through dairy, fruit or plant-based healthy eating portions, and one of the world leaders in the branded cheese sector. Its portfolio of differentiated and international products such as La Vache qui rit^®, Kiri^®, Babybel^®, Boursin^®, Nurishh^®, Pom'Potes^® or GoGo squeeZ^®, as well as around thirty other local brands, enabled it to achieve a turnover of 3.65 billion euros in 2023.

10,900 employees spread across nearly sixty subsidiaries around the world contribute to deploying the Group's mission: to offer healthier and more responsible food for all. Its products are produced in 30 production sites and distributed in more than 120 countries.

[1] Conservatoire d'Espaces Naturels / Conservatory of Natural Areas

[1] Établissement Public d'Aménagement et de Gestion de l'Eau / Public Establishment for Water Development and Management

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