In France, for the implementation of ecological continuity (action 39b of the French national biodiversity plan):
Luminus has started an ambitious programme aiming to measure and reduce the mortality of migratory fish due to hydropower turbines. Supported by the European Commission thanks to €2 million in funding as part of the European Life Programme and with an overall budget of €5 million, the objective of the Life4Fish programme is to model migratory routes, putting in place repelling systems such as electrical barriers or bubble curtains and specially-adapted systems to make fish passage easier. At the same time, the programme plans to install a new, very low impact turbine for migrating fish on the Monsin hydropower facility, whose renovation started in 2019.
The hydraulic generation sites at Kembs and Romanche-Gavet have undergone major ecological restoration operations that have contributed to the reconstruction and reinforcement of terrestrial ecological continuities, in keeping with nearby natural habitats (e.g.: Alsatian Petite Camargue); EDF’s R&D Department, which has been interested in the subject for several years, has tested various tools for numerical modelling of ecological continuities on site. The results were shared with the French Natural History Museum (MNHN). A study of the Île-de-France region is currently under way in order to develop a territorial approach characterising the integration, in particular, of sites with regard to green belts.
On Réunion Island, EDF, in partnership with the SEOR and the National Park, is continuing the night-without-light experiment (25 nights) during the petrel breeding season (modification of the spectra and direction of the lights from the East Port power station and public buildings of the neighbouring municipalities, planned outages at night, etc.).
The Company manages natural sites belonging to the land it owns in partnership with local associations; they resort to agro-environmental practices such as late mowing or eco-grazing; part of the land owned is allocated to areas dedicated to the protection or reconstitution of biodiversity, through management plans, with objectives adapted to the site’s challenges.
In Kembs, in the heart of the Petite Camargue Alsacienne national nature reserve, on an old agricultural corn monoculture plot (100ha), EDF carried out large-scale ecological rehabilitation work over a 5-year period (including one year of earthworks): restoration of a river arm over more than 7 kilometres, i.e. creating anew river in Alsace, and reconstitution of a set of wet and dry natural environments, which increased populations and paved the way for the return of several species of insects, amphibians, birds and mammals. The monitoring of nature and management actions, in particular for the limitation of invasive alien species, are carried out and form part of a management plan managed by the Nature Reserve of Petite Camargue. A full ecological review of this exceptional restoration project is currently being finalised. As part of the Romanche Gavet project, the temporary rights-of-way for the construction of the dam over 10 hectares have been renovated by ecological engineering techniques using local plants, with support from partners such as CBNA and Irstea. This ecological restoration experiment is set to be rolled out to similar operations.
Invasive alien species are systematically detected in thermal and nuclear sites. This issue is therefore integrated into the projects, through actions with partners at the local level (local authorities, river contracts, etc.). EDF is a partner of the “Local vegetation” programme organised by the Federation of French Botanical Conservation Bodies. The aim of this programme is to promote the systematic use of local wild plants in development work, the re-naturation of areas, the upkeep of green spaces, etc. The use of local species creates a natural barrier which protects these spaces from invasive alien species and increases the ecological functionalities of the local environment. In 2018, EDF made a promotional video of the “local vegetation” initiative available on the Internet. At the Aramon solar park, EDF and EDF Renewables are testing the reintroduction of local seeds as part of a planting project. For phytosanitary products, see section 3.3.2.2.3 “Soils”.
For over 30 years, EDF has equipped itself with a dedicated R&D Department working on the environment, in partnership with external bodies. The biodiversity research programme has mobilised €21 million, 25 researchers and technicians, and a number of partners. Their work helps improving the Company’s practices for biodiversity and contributes to scientific knowledge (publication of theses, 25 scientific articles published since 2018).
EDF group seeks to understand and meet the expectations of its stakeholders and is involved in local biodiversity governing bodies, such as: River Basin Committees, River Committees and Regional Biodiversity Committees in France. EDF has developed a policy of cooperation with scientific and institutional partner associations, with strong regional involvement and expertise in biodiversity. For example, EDF has regular discussions with think tanks like OREE, EPE, CILB and the Business & Biodiversity Offsets Programme (BBOP) and also participates in the B4B+ working group of CDC Biodiversité for the definition of the global biodiversity score. In the UK, for more than 20 years, EDF Energy has worked in partnership with the Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Sizewell and the Natural England Wildlife Trust in Dungeness. In France, the Company’s historic partners are given priority with major players in the sector in France: National Natural History Museum (MNHN), League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), Nature Reserves of France (RNF), French Committee of the International Union for Nature Conservation (UICN), Federation of National Botanical Conservation Bodies (FCBN), Federation of Natural Site Conservation Bodies (FCEN), Society for the study and protection of mammals (SFEPM), Coastal Conservation Agency. In total, EDF has forged over 100 partnerships with non-profit organisations or research organisations such as the National Institute for Scientific and Technological Research for the Environment andAgriculture (Irstea) and Ifremer (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea). Locally, numerous partnerships aim to help sites in their approach conducted in favour of biodiversity. The partnership with the National Federation of Fishing in France (FNPF) continues through the financing and management of actions in favour of aquatic environments (one framework agreement and nearly 50 local agreements with departmental federations). These partners meet regularly in seminars in order to maintain collective momentum in favour of EDF’s biodiversity approach. In 2018, the partners participated in drawing up EDF’s biodiversity road map during a two-day seminar bringing together around 50 people.
(1) In France, this is known as the “blue belt”.
(2) In France, this is known as the “green belt”.
(3) In France, this is known as the “black belt”.
(4) GRI G4 EN 13 – disclosure 304-4.
