For
the first time, Neoenergia
discloses its own
greenhouse gas emission (GHG) inventory verified by
independent auditors. The initiative is part of a series of measures
that the company carries out in order to combat climate
change. In the document, it is possible to identify
the opportunities and build the strategies necessary to achieve the
goal of neutralizing carbon emissions by 2050, including investment
in renewable energy, which corresponds to 86.8% of Neoenergia's
installed generation capacity. In addition, the audited inventory
provides transparency and credibility to the data, promoting
continuous improvement in environmental management.
The
survey, conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the Brazilian
GHG Protocol Program, covers Neoenergia's energy generation in
renewable
(wind
and hydraulic),
liberalized (thermals)
and grids (transmission
and distribution).
Neoenergia's emission intensity in 2019 was 70 grams of Co2 per
kilowatt hour of energy generated, which is below the global target
for 2030 of 100 grams of CO2 per Mwh generated established by
Iberdrola,
group to which the company belongs. It was the first time that the
inventory entered the GHG public record of information, reinforcing
Neoenergia's performance with the transparency and disclosure of its
information.
"A
complete inventory, verified by a third party and made available to
interested parties, reinforces our commitment to follow the
principles of completeness, accuracy and consistency required by the
Brazilian GHG Protocol Program, in addition of ensuring recognition
of the work performed. From the mapping of greenhouse gas emissions,
Neoenergia subsidizes its strategies and projects in order to
mitigate the impacts of its actions, in accordance with the
commitments assumed in the Environment
Policy and Policy
Against Climate Change of the company, in addition to
align with the objectives of the UN Sustainable
Development Goals“, highlights Francisco Carvalho,
Neoenergia's innovation and sustainability superintendent.
The
company's main focus is SDG 7, aimed at ensuring reliable,
sustainable, modern and affordable access to energy for all, in
addition to SDG 13, which aims to take urgent action to combat
climate change and its impacts. From this, it takes attitudes related
to the decarbonization and electrification of the economy that
contribute to energy efficiency, reduce CO² emissions, favor the
adoption of renewable energies, drive the revitalization and
digitalization of the energy sector, and also improve the
profitability of companies.
BIODIVERISTY POLICY
In
June this year, Iberdrola
disclosed its biodiversity
global report,
published every two years. In it, more than 1,450 global actions
related to the protection of biodiversity were raised. The objective
is not only to mitigate the effects, but also to contribute
positively to ecosystems. The result is actions that avoid and/or
minimize the impact on the environment. Neoenergia follows the same
line and is one of the few Brazilian companies to have an exclusive
policy focused on biodiversity. Created with the objective of
conserving the ecosystem as an essential condition for global
sustainability, the initiative envisages, among other things,
integrating the preservation of biological diversity into the
company's strategy and decision-making.
Thus,
when performing any installation, the company applies a series of
environmental plans and programs that allow knowing in detail the
entire composition of the surrounding fauna and flora. This allows
the definition of ecosystem conservation actions. In the development
of the hydroelectric
power plant of Baixo Iguaçu,
inaugurated in 2019, for example, the creation of a biodiversity
corridor was agreed with the environmental agency to contribute to
the conservation of species and the improvement of quality in the
region. Thus, native species that interconnect the remaining forest
areas with the plant's permanent conservation areas will be planted
and those protected in the Iguaçu National Park. During the
environmental licensing process for hydroelectric power plants,
substations, distribution lines, transmission lines and wind farms,
Neoenergia has already planted over 2.5 million native species.
"We have public commitments regarding the conservation and promotion of biodiversity in the areas where we operate, and every day we are sure that the path to economic recovery is to promote low carbon businesses that have the capacity to promote the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity. This is our goal and we will continue to improve our environmental performance every day in order to meet the Iberdrola Group's commitment to avoid net losses of biodiversity by 2030," says Carvalho.