A TREE planting project to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee has been sponsored by companies with links to deforestation, according to campaigners.
The Queen’s Green Canopy scheme looked to dedicate a patchwork of 70 ancient forest areas across the UK with the aim of reforesting the country.
However, activists have raised concerns over some of the scheme’s “platinum” sponsors. One of those raising the alarm is McDonald’s, which has previously been linked to deforestation in Brazil.
READ MORE: Edinburgh rally to offer a republican alternative to Jubilee Scotland
Another of the sponsors to have caught the attention of campaigners is Coutts, the Queen’s bank. Part of the NatWest group, the firm has invested in a number of firms that activists from Wild Card, a rewilding NGO, say have profited from deforestation.
Firms linked to Coutts include Drax, which in 2021 raised sustainability concerns by burning 7.7 million tonnes of fuel made from freshly cut “green” wood.
Other firms linked to NatWest include pulp mill UPM, which has been accused of deforestation in Uruguay through paper manufacturing, and Vattenfall, which provides wood chips and pellets to energy companies.
Activists speaking to The Guardian have alleged that the Royal Family is engaging in greenwashing by helping large companies improve the image of their environmental records.
Louisa Casson, head of forests for Greenpeace UK, said: “Sadly, the number of trees that this scheme might help to plant is a tiny fraction of the number the scheme’s corporate sponsors have helped to destroy. It’s an insult to the volunteers taking part to use their efforts to greenwash the reputations of companies that drive deforestation across the world.”
Joel Scott-Halkes, a co-founder of Wild Card, added: “The royal family are helping major corporations greenwash their own planet-wrecking activities. As representatives of our nation, they are implicating us all in a shameful cover-up of these global companies’ appalling environmental reputations.
“As the biggest landowning family in Britain, the royals should be using their time to rewild and reforest their own vast estates – not lending their name to companies like McDonald’s.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel