Terrestrial Life – the synergy between Usiminas and SDG 15

Advancing in the list of UN Sustainable Development Goals to which Usiminas has committed itself by adhering to the Global Compact, in 2021, we arrive at SDG 15.

What does this SDG consist of?

Goal 15 focuses on protecting, recovering and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation and halting loss.

And how does Usiminas contribute to the objective?

Since the beginning of operations, Usiminas has been concerned with the preservation and recovery of green areas. We have programs focused on the preservation of riparian forests, conservation of springs and preservation of regional wildlife.

Usiminas and Mineração Usiminas maintain more than 2,530 hectares of preserved areas in the Vale do Aço and Serra Azul regions.

In Vale do Aço, our Green Belt amounts 377 hectares and passes through 11 neighborhoods. We also have a seedling nursery in Ipatinga, where, in 2021, more than 12 thousand seedlings were produced. Of these, 5,000 were planted in our conservation areas.

In April, we announced an agreement with the Public Ministry for the protection of 11 new areas in Ipatinga, totaling 800 thousand m².

Next steps

Also in 2021, the Seedling Nursery at Mineração Usiminas in Serra Azul was reopened to produce native species of flora, restore permanent preservation areas and forest compensation.

The expectation is that, after the first year, around 30 thousand seedlings will be produced annually for planting and donation to the communities. On another front, we established quantitative and qualitative targets related to sustainability issues.

Want to know more? Discover our connection to SDG 13.