In a first-ever move, Eni will partner with the Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Water and Forests on a bold program of forest conservation and restoration. Spanning 14 forests across 155,000 hectares, the project helps to combat a 90 percent loss of the country’s forest cover in the past century. This 20-year partnership forms a strategic combination of environmental restoration with corporate decarbonization goals and community development on sustainable grounds.
A Pioneering Initiative for Côte d’Ivoire’s Forests
Cooperation with Côte d’Ivoire reflects a joint commitment to environmental conservation, biodiversity, and social development. After conducting the feasibility study in September 2022, the areas of focus for the target were identified, namely in the Lagunes and Comoé regions. Considerable discussions with local officials and other stakeholders ensured the initiative will meet regional demands and national priorities.
This project underscores a shared commitment to safeguard Côte d’Ivoire’s forest heritage and engaging communities as active partners in this transformational initiative,” an Eni representative said.
Dual Approach: Preservation and Recovery
The entire initiative is built around two core components:
1. Conservation of Forests and Biodiversity
Preserve remaining forests of the country, maintaining biodiversity of the forests is the project’s first priority. Better control measures, public awareness programs, and training measures to control risks of deforestation, fire outbreaks, and poaching activities would be taken.
These measures are undertaken to attain long-term environmental sustainability when developing local communities in a pursuit of conservation objectives. A combination of grassroots involvement with technical expertise provides a resolute framework toward the preservation of forests.
2. Forest restoration through agro-forestry
The second focus of the restoration is on the massive restoration of 130,000 hectares of degraded forest land. This will entail planting 12 million local trees with agro-forestry practices that have been developed to integrate ecological restoration and sustainable farming.
“A combination of agro-forestry practices integrated into the project will not only restore forests but also improve livelihoods of local farming communities,” noted the Ministry of Water and Forests.
Agro-forestry techniques have double benefits: it replenishes the ecosystems and promotes sustainable agricultural productivity. Considering these factors, the initiative addresses environmental and socio-economic challenges at the same time.
Contribution to National Goals of Côte d’Ivoire
This project is aligned with the National Development Plans of Côte d’Ivoire and the overall policy in terms of combating deforestation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This is the most ambitious effort by government towards restoring the country’s forest cover and fighting climate change, and the partnership with Eni marks the first major stride in fulfillment of this ambition.
“This initiative shows commitment toward preserving the natural heritage of Côte d’Ivoire and promoting sustainable development,” a ministry official stated.
Eni’s Decarbonization Vision
For Eni, this project is a critical element of its broader sustainability and decarbonization strategy. The company has set a goal of achieving net-zero upstream emissions (Scope 1 and 2) in its Baleine development, Côte d’Ivoire’s first deepwater oil project.
By integrating forest restoration and conservation into its decarbonization roadmap, Eni demonstrates the synergy between corporate environmental responsibility and global climate goals. The initiative also strengthens Eni’s position as a leader in sustainable energy practices, highlighting its commitment to balancing economic growth with environmental stewardship.
Community-Focused Approach
This is unique collaboration, focusing on community involvement. It not only helps the local communities but gets them involved in the planning and implementation of the projects.
The following are characteristics of the community-oriented approach:
- Awareness and Education: Training programs to empower locals with skills in sustainable forestry and agro-forestry practices.
- Economic Opportunities: The agro-forestry component looks at ways of improving agricultural productivity and income generation for the farming communities.
- Shared ownership: It encourages shared ownership and collective responsibility towards forest conservation among the communities through community participation in making decisions.
The holistic approach ensures that the initiative not only delivers environmental benefits but also meaningful socio-economic impacts.
Global and Local Impact
The Eni–Côte d’Ivoire collaboration is a model for sustainable development combining local challenges and global priorities. Focusing on issues of forest conservation and restoration in addition to that of improving community well-being provides the outline for tackling this complicated question of environmental conservation, creating an opportunity for the success of inclusive growth.
Future Vision
As the global community tackles climate change and biodiversity depletion, this Eni-Côte d’Ivoire collaboration exemplifies the work of a public-private initiative in facilitating transformational change toward a more sustainable future as it both conserves and restores areas.
“This shows the capability of collaborative efforts at addressing such critical environmental problems while creating an opportunity for empowering local communities,” Eni highlighted.
Sustainability Call to Action
The efforts of Eni in Côte d’Ivoire highlight the need for the corporation to embrace sustainability into its strategies. Investing in long-term solutions that benefit both people and the planet sets the benchmark for other organizations.
This partnership, in its next two decades, will be observed closely as a case study in balancing ecological preservation and socio-economic progress. It has promised to leave a long-lasting legacy for Côte d’Ivoire and beyond, given the target of planting 12 million trees and restoring 130,000 hectares of degraded land.
Through its pioneering vision and collaborative approach, the Eni-Côte d’Ivoire initiative represents just how powerfully partnerships shape a more sustainable and equal world.