In response to the dual threat of biodiversity loss and climate breakdown, Aviva Canada will be investing over $1 million towards WWF-Canada’s Nature and Climate Grant Program over the next three years.
The grant program aims to help local groups and indigenous organizations in Canada to restore degraded lands and shorelines. It will support projects focused on planting trees, native seeds and plants, restoring natural saltwater flows, bank stabilization, habitat creation and enhancement in coastal zones, former agricultural sites, riparian zones, wetlands and forests.
By restoring habitats, Aviva and WWF-Canada hope these can serve as nature-based climate solutions by capturing carbon. Aviva noted in a Press release that, with the right restoration actions, nature can deliver as much as 30% of the cost-effective emissions reductions needed to achieve the goals set out in the Paris Agreement on climate action.
“As a leading insurer we see first-hand the devastating impacts of climate change. Fixing a home means nothing if we ignore the natural surroundings and degraded lands and shorelines,” said Aviva Canada CEO Jason Storah. “We’re so proud to be partnering with WWF to lead this charge and make meaningful change in communities across Canada.”
“We are in a race against time to halt the catastrophic human impact on the planet’s biodiversity and climate. When every action counts, finding solutions that address more than one issue is crucial,” added WWF-Canada president and CEO Megan Leslie. “That’s why we are delighted to partner with Aviva Canada, to support restoration work across Canada that will create habitat for wildlife and absorb carbon at the same time.”
Aviva’s new partnership with the WWF builds on the insurer’s announcement in March to target net-zero carbon by 2040. More details on the grant recipients will be announced this fall, the company added in a release.
