Waila launches Climate Fund for Agriculture

Gotland has ideal conditions for the transition towards a climate-positive economy, even though the island is still one of the regions with the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per person in Sweden. It is our vision that by 2030 Gotland will have a climate-positive economy, which means that more GHG will be removed from the atmosphere than emitted into the atmosphere. Gotland can only achieve this transformation arising from one of its greatest strengths, namely the strong solidarity among its inhabitants and their ability to collaborate, which has been proven for centuries.

We will devote all our energy to ensure that the vision of turning Gotland into a carbon sink by 2030 becomes a reality. All supporters of this vision are welcome to join us. Together we can make it happen, but we must start now!

To realize this vision, concrete and effective measures are needed in addition to specified goals. That is why Waila has created the climate protection fund “HimlaJord” (Swedish for Heaven’s Earth) and donated 40,000 SEK as seed capital. With the aid of the climate fund, agricultural farms that create sustainable, long-term carbon sinks by using biochar in their soils, receive a premium. The initial capital facilitates a reduction of the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere of about 100t CO₂. We hope to be able to expand this funding in the future.

Waila has been reducing its operational GHG emissions to a minimum since its inception, while contributing to various renewable energy and carbon sequestration projects, all following to aim of protecting the climate. Since Waila was founded 3 years ago, we have contributed to a total of 340,000 tons GHG (CO₂ e) emission savings through our consulting and research activities as well as our investment projects, in addition to our own production of biochar products. Each employee of our company has thus achieved a reduction in emissions to the atmosphere of around 100 kg of GHG (CO₂ e)* per working hour since the company was founded. (* 100 kg of GHG (CO₂ e) are equivalent to the CO₂ emissions approximately generated by an 800 km long car journey with a patrol-driven internal combustion engine).

Looking at such positive business-results we are very pleased, but most importantly these insights provide us with a great reassurance that we have set the right priority in Waila’s business development – maximizing the climate protection impact.