Environmental Projects Hyundai Motor Joins Hands with IUCN to Drive Mangrove Reforestation in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
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Hyundai Motor Joins Hands with IUCN to Drive Mangrove Reforestation in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta
HANOI/SEOUL, October 25, 2023 – Hyundai Motor Company announced a three-year partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Good Neighbors International (GNI) to scale up sustainability solutions in Vietnam, focused on mangrove reforestation in the Mekong Delta.
The partnership is part of Hyundai Motor’s ongoing IONIQ Forest project launched in 2016 to create sustainable forests around the world to absorb carbon, conserve biodiversity and enhance the productivity of local communities.
Together with IUCN and GNI, the company intends to plant 120,000 mangrove trees in the first year of partnership, primarily Rhizophora and Avicennia species in Ca Mau province, an essential region for aquaculture production at the southern tip of Vietnam. The trees will be planted in integrated mangrove shrimp farms to promote sustainable aquaculture practices while preserving the ecosystem and enhancing community resilience to climate change.
These farms benefit the environment and local communities in various ways. They help capture carbon, enhance biodiversity, and safeguard against natural disasters. The natural tidal flows in the water keep it clean and significantly reduce the risk of diseases. Moreover, the shrimp produced in these farms are in high demand and fetch premium prices in local and international markets.
The mangrove-shrimp landscape has the potential to be designated as ‘other effective area-based conservation measure (OECM)’, a new designation for protecting land or water outside of formally protected areas. OECMs are also recognized in the latest Global Biodiversity Framework, to which Vietnam is already a signatory.
Vietnam is one of the most important markets for Hyundai Motor’s future mobility strategy in the ASEAN region. We aim to become a pioneer in this market as the first global brand to launch a CKD EV model in Vietnam. The IONIQ Forest project represents our authenticity and desire for sustainable future in Vietnam.
Head of the Vietnam Business Unit, Hyundai Motor Company
In 2020, IUCN launched Global Standards on Nature-based-Solutions (NbS) to protect, sustainably manage and restore nature to address societal and environmental challenges. The project is expected to contribute to promote NbS by increasing mangrove cover in shrimp farms in Ca Mau. In the long-term, Ca Mau’s integrated mangrove shrimp landscape could be considered as an OECM, thereby helping Vietnam reach its 30x30 target, which the government committed to at CBD COP15 in Montreal in December 2022.
Head of IUCN’s Lower Mekong Sub-region
With its 3,000-kilometer long coastline, Vietnam is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to sea level rise and storms. Ca Mau Province is particularly susceptible to flooding, saltwater intrusion and coastal erosion. Hyundai Motor aims to enhance resilience to climate change while promoting sustainable livelihoods through the project.
The IONIQ Forest project is part of Hyundai Motor's ‘Hyundai Continue,’ a global effort to create shared value (CSV) in alignment with its brand vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’. The company is dedicated to increasing social impact and creating a sustainable business ecosystem.
In addition to Vietnam, Hyundai Motor has undertaken the IONIQ Forest project in South Korea, North America, Brazil, Mexico, Germany, Serbia, Turkey and the Czech Republic. Through the project, Hyundai Motor aims to plant 1 million trees worldwide by 2024.
The ‘Hyundai Continue’ initiative focuses on making revolutionary efforts for a better future, with three main areas of focus: Continue Earth, Continue Mobility, and Continue Hope. ‘Continue Earth’ demonstrates its dedication to protecting the environment and mitigating climate change. ‘Continue Mobility’ is dedicated to advancing technology to make mobility more accessible and safer for everyone. ‘Continue Hope’ is dedicated to nurturing the potential of young talent and educating future generations.
About IUCN Viet Nam
IUCN has a long history in Viet Nam since the middle of 1980s. In 1993, Vietnamese Government became an IUCN state member and IUCN Viet Nam Country Office also opened on the same year. Since then, IUCN has made important contribution to biodiversity conservation and environmental protection, primarily through support to the development of laws and policies such as National Biodiversity Action Plan (1995), Law on Forest Protection (2004), Law on Environmental Protection (2005), the Biodiversity Law (2008), Law on Environmental Protection (2020). Our partners include the National Assembly, Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics, ministries, and businesses, and local NGOs.
About Good Neighbors International
Founded in 1991 in Korea, Good Neighbors is a global NGO specializing in children's rights and actively carrying out professional social welfare and international development cooperation projects to create a world without hunger and a world of living together. As a global NGO specializing in children's rights, Good Neighbors, which strives to create a world where children are happy, a world where everyone dreams of hope, and a world where they share and live together, is a good partner that works with various companies in social responsibility and social contribution activities.
About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,’ Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:
https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai