Assunção Cristas was this week's guest at "Conversations with the CEO", part of the Negócios Sustainability 20|30 initiative. During the interview, she shared her experiences at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28), held recently in Dubai, highlighting the challenges and opportunities emerging from European legislation.

The lawyer, who actively participated in COP 28, emphasised that European legislation is creating an unstoppable dynamic, increasingly influencing companies. During the interview, she emphasised the importance of adapting and innovating in the face of environmental demands, saying that this period of transformation can be seen as an opportunity for new sustainable initiatives to emerge.

One of the highlights was the creation of the first fund in Portugal dedicated to obtaining income from carbon sequestration. Assunção Cristas said that this fund represents a significant step forward in responding to environmental challenges, demonstrating a business approach centred on sustainability.

"At VdA we supported the first fund set up in Portugal to buy and lease less productive land in less favoured areas of Portugal and Spain to develop forestry projects using native species. And one of the returns from this fund is expected to be carbon sequestration rights. And the first fund in Portugal of the so-called Dark Green, Article 9 of yet another European regulation, the SF DR, which opens very interesting opportunities for us," he said during the interview.

Read the interview here