Honda joins alliance dedicated to biodiversity protection

MANILA: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. stated that it is now a part of the "30 by 30 Alliance for Biodiversity," a group dedicated to preserving biodiversity, one of the world's most pressing environmental issues.

The 30 by 30 targets, which were addressed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) Part 1 in October 2021, are international targets to conserve and protect at least 30% of Earth's land and ocean by 2030. The 30 by 30 Alliance was formed in Japan as a partnership of governments, including the Japanese Ministry of the Environment, corporations, and non-profit groups, with the goal of establishing structures and procedures that would help Japan meet its 30 by 30 targets.

Honda will actively engage in the 30 by 30 Alliance's activities, which will include efforts to increase protected areas, including national parks, and enhance the standard of management applied to such areas, in order to meet the 30 by 30 targets. Furthermore, the 30 by 30 Alliance will seek to identify, maintain, and ensure the protection of areas that are achieving successful in-situ biodiversity conservation outside of protected areas (OECM), including Satochi-Satoyama (traditional Japanese landscape) and corporate-owned forests.

In the 1960s,Honda started to invest major effort into actions that contribute to biodiversity protection, such as afforestation and the recycling and reuse of industrial water at its facilities, after realizing the possibility that its business activities could harm biodiversity. Honda initiated a program in 1976 to build a "hometown forest," a forest of native tree species that protects the environment and biodiversity unique to each location, at each of its Japanese sites.

Today, a number of Honda operations in Japan seek conservation measures to safeguard the global environment in collaboration with local governments and communities in their respective regions, including activities to preserve Satochi-Satoyama and forests, as well as Honda's original environmental conservation projects such as the HondaWoods project, HelloWoods project, and Honda Beach Clean project.

Honda published the "Honda Biodiversity Guidelines" in 2011, which outline four key tasks: development of environmental technology, initiatives based on corporate activities, cooperation with communities, and disclosure and sharing of information. Honda has been taking proactive initiatives to strengthen its environmental activities in accordance with the guidelines.

Honda said it will continue its proactive dedication to the activities that will ensure the company's vision for the joys for the next generation, aiming to develop a dream-inspiring future society where people can experience a rich natural environment, clean ocean, safety for everyone, a future where our children can achieve their dreams without limitations, and better comfort in life for everyone.

Images from Honda Motor Co., Ltd. and Roy Robles

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