WASCO BERHAD 82 SUSTAINABILITY REPORT Forests Alone Cannot Handle Carbon: Balancing Nature’s Role in Climate Change During the past year, we continued maintenance activities for the 160,000 trees planted in Wasco Forest Phase One. Third-party consultants were engaged to track and monitor the growth of Wasco Forest. We also engaged the Forest Research Institute Malaysia to conduct a soil organic carbon assessment to determine the soil carbon pool at the site. We are pleased to share that our forest is healthy and growing well. This sentiment is shared by the Pahang Forestry Department, which has granted an additional 670 hectares of land in Maran for us to continue our reforestation efforts. In Phase Two of Wasco’s tree-planting programme, we will continue cultivating a diverse range of carbon-sequestering plants across 670 hectares, with the goal of eventually planting approximately 1 million trees. FACTS: Nature has garnered significant attention for its remarkable ability to remove carbon dioxide (“CO2”) from the atmosphere and sequester it within the biosphere. This natural process occurs through photosynthesis, involving soils, grasslands, trees, and mangroves. However, nature is not only a carbon sink; it also contributes to carbon dioxide emissions due to deforestation, land degradation, ecosystem disruption, and agricultural practices. Fortunately, strategic changes in land management practices can mitigate emissions and enhance carbon storage. SOLUTIONS: The urgency of achieving net-zero emissions to safeguard our planet is undeniable. A pivotal strategy relies on tree-planting—the most impactful and cost-effective method to extract CO2 from the atmosphere. Net-zero initiatives hinge on maximising the carbon uptake capacity of these trees beyond their existing absorption rates. Wasco’s volunteers joined forces with local communities at the Pulau Buluh Clean-Up in Batam, Indonesia.
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