Juan Manuel Fornell, LIFE CO2RK & Alcornocales Natural Park director, during the event
LIFE CO2RK presentation to forest landowners and companies interested in Carbon offsetting on December 4, 2025 in Seville.
The FOREST-BUSINESS ALLIANCE event was held on December 4, 2025, in Seville, organized by the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment as part of the LIFE CO2RK project’s dissemination strategy.
The ultimate goal of LIFE CO2RK is to attract private investment through voluntary CO2 emissions offsetting, with the aim of using these investments to restore degraded or at-risk cork oak forests, promoting the traditional and sustainable harvesting of cork, which has proven to be essential for maintaining the balance of this rich ecosystem.
Welcome to the Forest – Bussiness Alliance event: Concepción Gallardo
The Delegate of the Regional Ministry of Sustainability and Environment in Seville, Concepción Gallardo Pinto, introduces the event, whose purpose is to explain the LIFE CO2RK project and its progress, as well as to learn about the needs of forest owners and companies interested in offsetting their CO2 emissions.
Juanma Fornell, LIFE CO2RK’s director, explains the Project goals
Juan Manuel Fornell is the Director of the Los Alcornocales Natural Park and, as director of the LIFE CO2RK Project, explains the objectives of the project and the event.
Understanding the perspectives of landowners, companies interested in investing in emissions offsetting, and consultants is fundamental, since CO2RK is the pioneering project at the EU level in the development of offsetting systems that mobilize private funds to support the recovery of complex ecosystems.
APM Terminals and CO2 Offsetting
Joaquín Sánchez, Environmental Technician at APM Terminals (MAERSK Group) in the Port of Algeciras, explains the importance of sustainability policies for his company and its clients, and specifically why they will participate in LIFE CO2RK by financing forestry projects that guarantee CO2 sequestration to offset their own emissions.
CO2 Offsetting from the Forestry Sector: Luis Luque
Luis Luque, a forestry manager, outlines the sector’s needs and demands for participating in CO2 Emission Offsetting Projects. There are high expectations, and many forest owners and consultants are ready to promote Climate Change Offsetting and Mitigation Policies; they simply need the technical mechanisms and legal and financial guarantees to be straightforward and accessible.
Inmaculada Tola (SACE): Markets and Compensation Systems
Inmaculada Tola, director of the Andalusian Office for Climate Change, explains how the Andalusian Emissions Compensation System (SACE) works for companies that want to audit, reduce, and offset their emissions with the legal security provided by certification from the Regional Government of Andalusia.
Carbon Forestry in Cork Oak Forests
Guillermo Palacios, a researcher at the University of Cordoba, explains the methodology used to classify the different cork oak forest formations into six types, and its usefulness in accurately measuring the carbon sequestration potential of each forest based on its location and structure. This allows for the application of silvicultural practices that maximize CO2 sequestration in each type.
Standard and Carbon offsetting Projects
Miguel Ángel Lara, CEO of IDAF, explains how CO2RK and SACE are progressing toward establishing the technical and administrative procedures that will allow for the certification of CO2 sequestration in a forest or stand. Ongoing scientific work will allow for the simulation of “sequestered” carbon and will assist landowners in their decision-making. The standard will establish the technical methodology for certifying the Carbon Absorption Units (CAUs) achieved, as well as the procedures and tools for completing Compensation Projects and registering the CAUs obtained in SACE.
Questions and answers
Discussion with the audience and answers to questions raised by the speakers from forest owners, forest managers, and consultants specializing in both forestry and carbon sequestration certification.
First Carbon offsetting projects: pilot experiences. New debate
José Gisbert, from the AMAYA Agency, presents the start of Pilot Compensation Projects in 2026 and opens the floor to further discussion among the speakers and forest owners, forest managers, and consultants specializing in both forestry and carbon sequestration certification.
