The basic principles and values set out in Endesa's environmental policy include conserving the natural environment in the regions in which its facilities are located by adopting measures to protect flora and fauna and their habitats. The 2003-2007 Strategic Environment and Sustainable Development Plan included biodiversity conservation among its corporate programmes. This programme also formed the basis of the current Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Programme included in Endesa's 2008-2012 Environment Plan, and has been carried out through a number of valuable activities to conserve habitats and species.
Endesa’s approach
It is impossible to transform natural resources into products and services for humans without affecting to some extent the natural ecosystems in which these resources are found. During 2009, Endesa followed this clear and simple principle to implement the second year of its Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Programme by continuing its proactive approach to minimising waste, emissions, spillages and other environmental impacts on natural resources, while at the same time promoting the efficient and responsible use of the assets and services that derive from these resources. All these issues are critical to preserving biodiversity. Moreover, Endesa has built upon its strategic programme by exploring opportunities and partaking in activities to directly conserve biodiversity, as shown in the following sections.
Structure of the Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Programme
Endesa's Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Programme takes a two-pronged approach which combines the action areas of this programme and the biodiversity components they target.
This matrix, which was conveniently updated in 2009, defines a total of 20 divisions representing the 20 types of action taken by Endesa in relation to biodiversity. This structure enables the company to find solutions to the interactions between its own activity, biodiversity conservation, sustainable management of its assets, and society's calls for the rational use of natural resources. As shown below, the geographical scope of the Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Programme is not limited to the specific countries or regions in which Endesa operates, but goes beyond these boundaries to encompass any area where there is an opportunity to protect biodiversity that fits in with the company's objectives and capabilities.
2009 sample actions of Endesa's Biodiversity Conservation
2009 was a landmark year for Endesa in terms of biodiversity conservation, since the majority of its Biodiversity Conservation Strategic Programme was rolled out with the participation of all the company's lines of business. The main steps taken focused on two priority areas:
- Projects to restore and improve local habitats and areas affected by the company's facilities.
- Projects and studies on conserving biodiversity with a socio-environmental component.
In addition to these two priority areas for 2009, biodiversity activities set out in practically all the divisions of the basic matrix of the programme have continued. In general, this work has focused on achieving the following specific objectives:
- Adapting the physical environment to increase its ability to encourage biodiversity.
- Managing environmental factors (processes) which help improve the habitats of certain species in particular or the biotopes they comprise.
- Identifying natural ecosystems in order to identify their ability to respond to pressures caused through their use, or to unlock the value of the natural assets they represent or house.
- Preserving indigenous species.
- Controlling and eradicating invasive exotics with a severe ecological impact.
In 2009, the company selected 30 different biodiversity initiatives with different areas of action.