World Biodiversity Day

Every 22 May, the United Nations reminds us through World Biodiversity Day of the importance of coexisting with nature in a sustainable way. This year's slogan "Building a shared future for all life" raises the awareness on the importance of biodiversity, in response to several sustainable development challenges. From environmentally friendly based solutions, health problems, food and water safety, and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity is the foundation on which we can build a better world.

Humanity is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis, the origin of which lies in its own activity. Modern economic development, based on fossil fuels and the overuse of natural resources, is causing the disappearance of the ecosystems responsible for offering us everything necessary to make life possible on our planet. Despite all the technological advances, we depend entirely on ecosystems if we want to have water, food, medicine, clothing, fuel, shelter and energy, just to name a few examples.

Science is warning us about the urgency of adapting society to a new situation. In the words of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), to assess the science related to climate change:

“To prevent further loss of life, biodiversity and infrastructures, we need to implement ambitious climate change adaptation measures urgently, while achieving rapid and pronounced reductions in greenhouse gas emissions”.

Humanity needs an environmentally disruptive, transversal change, capable of integrating different concepts, such as decarbonisation, recovery and preservation of nature within a sustainable development model. This requires the direct participation of all actors in society, without excuses.

Growing commitment for three decades

Since its inception, Endesa has maintained an important commitment to biodiversity. For more than 40 years, the company has been developing projects aimed at minimising the environmental impact of its activities. These include the restoration work associated with mining activities, through which more than 5,000 hectares have been recovered, with an investment of more than 100 million euros; or planting of more than 1.5 million trees across Spain, which has given rise to natural spaces of a high natural value and recognised prestige.

Since then, we work every day to improve our environmental performance, for the good of the planet and ourselves, renewing our commitment to continuous improvement in such important aspects as climate change, zero net loss of biodiversity or the circular economy.

In addition to strict compliance with the regulatory framework applicable to environmental matters, Endesa is also committed to improving and preserving the natural capital, ecosystem services and biodiversity. Its first Environmental Policy, approved and published in 1998, already contemplated the preservation of biodiversity, establishing the following as one of the reference principles: "Preserving the facilities’ natural surroundings by adopting measures aimed at protecting plants and animals and their habitats". Likewise, the preservation of biodiversity has already been established as one of the seven Commitments to Sustainable Development within the framework of the first Strategic Sustainability Plan.

In addition, Endesa's extensive track record in the preservation of biodiversity conservation is captured in its Biodiversity Preservation Plan, which was approved in 2012. This document covers the development of at least 25 voluntary projects carried out every year, aimed at the protection and preservation of endangered species, spaces and habitats, increase in scientific knowledge, enhancement of biodiversity and development of tools that help us understand the interaction of biodiversity with Endesa's activities

As a culmination of this well-rounded trajectory, it is worth mentioning Endesa's Biodiversity Policy, which was approved by the company's Board of Directors in January 2020, coinciding with the appointment of an internal Biodiversity Committee in which all of the company's businesses participate, and in which the Policy is implemented, the projects of the Biodiversity Conservation Plan are debated, approved and rolled out and all the experience, knowledge and synergies of all the members of this Committee are shared.

Just this week, and as a specific and noteworthy example, we have announced the use of a laser lighting system that is unique in the world to protect a native bird species of the Canary Islands, "shearwaters", in the surroundings of one of our wind farms. Therefore, innovation and the preservation of biodiversity go hand in hand to make our clean generation activity sustainable.