Grupo Sylvestris and Fundación Repsol, driving forces behind the Motor Verde project, have achieved a historic milestone by obtaining the first Verra certification in the Iberian Peninsula for one of their forests in Asturias, under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).
The certification corresponds to an 87-hectare forest located in Grandas de Salime (Asturias). Through the reforestation work carried out within the Motor Verde project, this ecosystem—affected by several fires in 2017—has been restored by planting native tree species. These trees are expected to capture over 43,000 tonnes of CO₂ over the next 50 years, during which Fundación Repsol and Grupo Sylvestris are committed to supporting the forest’s management and maintenance.
This initiative not only helps mitigate climate change but also enhances biodiversity and combats soil erosion, while promoting inclusive local employment and revitalizing rural areas.
Verra is a global leader in the certification of climate and sustainability solutions, known for its Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)—the most widely used carbon credit certification system in the world. This standard ensures that sequestration and offsetting projects meet strict permanence and verification criteria for climate change mitigation, while providing social and economic value to the communities where they are developed.
This certificate reflects the comprehensive environmental, social, and economic sustainability commitment of the Motor Verde reforestation project, led by Grupo Sylvestris and Fundación Repsol.
A Forest with Social and Economic Impact
The project certified by Verra is part of the broader Motor Verde efforts in Grandas de Salime, where a total of 390 hectares have already been reforested, generating more than 61 local employment opportunities, including 19 for people in vulnerable situations, in collaboration with the Grandas de Salime Town Council and local social organizations. These jobs have provided not only income but also long-term opportunities for workers and their families, improving quality of life in the area.
Additionally, Fundación Repsol and Grupo Sylvestris have developed training programs in cross-cutting, digital, and rural entrepreneurship skills, with 163 participants from the local community. Many attendees highlighted the usefulness of these workshops in accessing previously unattainable job opportunities and in developing forest-sector business ideas.
Furthermore, all Motor Verde reforestation projects prioritize local sourcing of suppliers and services, strengthening the local economy.
A Pioneering Achievement in Sustainability
Motor Verde is a pioneering reforestation initiative that promotes biodiversity recovery in degraded areas for carbon sequestration, with the distinguishing feature of seeking positive social and economic impact in the regions where it operates.
This Verra certification highlights Motor Verde’s role as a European benchmark for nature-based solutions, opening new opportunities to develop international projects that meet the highest decarbonization and sustainability standards.
This forest is not only the first Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) project developed in Spain and Portugal registered under the VCS Verra standard, but also the first Verra-certified project of any kind across the entire Iberian Peninsula.
ARR projects focus on reforesting or restoring degraded ecosystems, promoting the recovery of plant cover and biodiversity while absorbing CO₂.
The Verra certification, one of the most rigorous, involved an analysis of over two years, with contributions from professionals at Grupo Sylvestris and Fundación Repsol, supported by consultants Global Factor, Climit, and Carbosur.
Javier Torres, Director of Social Impact at Fundación Repsol, emphasized the recognition of the thorough work carried out under the Motor Verde project, aimed at creating a triple transformative impact—environmental, social, and economic—toward an energy transition that leaves no one behind.
Francisco Martínez, co-founder and Technical Director of Grupo Sylvestris, pointed out that what they are most proud of is that Grupo Sylvestris is not only a co-proponent but also the project developer: in other words, they do not merely aggregate initiatives developed by third parties, but directly channel their own or their clients’ financing into real positive impact on the ground.
Iker Larrea, partner and Director of Markets at Global Factor, emphasized that this represents a major opportunity for sustainable projects in Spain, both in the forestry sector and in others such as transportation and energy.
