NTPC also committed to training local communities in natural resource management and use by 2022. Cassava plantations are expanding rapidly in Laos, which is highly damaging to the environment. To counter this trend, NTPC has initiated several actions with central and local authorities, research partners and local communities. In 2022, NTPC initiated a high-level seminar under the auspices of the Prime Minister’s Office to explore solutions to stop deforestation and promote a green economy through public-private partnerships. Following the seminar, it was decided to set up a pilot project around NTPC’s infrastructure, which provided financial resources and know-how to raise awareness of the project’s objectives and the regulations on the use of natural resources (as well as the creation of control patrols).
More than 1,700 people from 9 villages participated in this campaign. NTPC signed a cooperation agreement with the Institute of Research for Development (IRD) to establish an environmental research centre in Nakai focusing on the One Health concept and aiming to boost the capacity of Lao academic institutions.
Since 2009, the Group is a sponsor to the Associação Mico Leão Dourado. The initiative aims to involve, train and support farming families in the rural communities living near the plant, to adopt agricultural practices and to encourage the production of native species so as to ensure the social, economic and environmental sustainability of the region. The partnership has already resulted in the recovery of the Atlantic Forest, contributed to the preservation of the Golden Lion Tamarind species (considered endangered), as well as stimulating the socio- economic movement of small farmers in the region.
For over 50 years, EDF has had a dedicated R&D and engineering department working on the environment (currently around 40 people with a budget of €10 million), in partnership with outside organisations.
The BIODIV Project brings together most of EDF’s research activities in favour of biodiversity; the associated commitment has mobilised €25 million between 2018 and 2021 and has led over four years to research carried out within the framework of 8 theses and 5 post-docs. This project has also produced 50 publications, including one in the journal Nature Communication, and 52 conference papers. It has been supplemented since 2022 by the BIODIV’2025 programme, with a budget of €25 million for the 2022-2025 period.
The new Renewables Environment and Sustainability (REES) project is led by EDF Renewables and carried out by the R&D department. It aims to develop innovative and effective solutions to reduce the impact of wind (both onshore and offshore) and solar energy on the environment and biodiversity, while optimising yield.
Since 2009, EDF’s R&D and INRAE (1) have set up the joint HYNES team in order to collaborate on the development of ecological approaches to aquatic environments. Renewed in 2019, the themes of the HYNES team have been extended to land environments.
Since 2019, 4 post-docs have been completed, 3 theses have been defended, 5 theses and 1 post-doc have been started. The topics covered are diverse: response of aquatic communities to climate change, ecological continuity, ecological impact of modifications to hydro-sedimentary regimes, ecological effectiveness of restoration, greenhouse gas emissions in river systems. This work has led to scientific publications.
It should also be noted that new collaborative projects have been initiated with this partner on agri-voltaics.
The Company integrates biodiversity as one decision-making criterion in its industrial choices. The vast majority of EDF production sites are located close to protected sites and remarkable natural areas.
Mandated by the Company, UNEP – WCMC carried out a vast study to assess the ecological sensitivity of places where the Group’s 1,000 industrial sites are located (3).
In Italy, Edison carried out an ecological sensitivity analysis on all its grid-scale sites (4) (including the thirty or so new EnR sites that will join Edison’s scope in 2021-2022). A biodiversity project has been implemented near the Palestro hydroelectric plant, which will be inaugurated in 2022, including the reintegration of native herbaceous species and shrubs favourable to pollinators, as well as actions to combat invasive exotic species.
EDF has a clear overview of the ecological status of its land, via a dedicated database, populated via both regulatory and voluntary inventories. EDF has also contributed to developing and implementing the French National Museum of Natural History EQI and EPI indexes (5).
In the field, a number of sites have prepared and regularly updated an inventory of the ecological quality of the land on which they are located. Management records are drawn up to assess and compare biodiversity issues and prospective land uses (project, decommissioning, rehabilitation).
In France, EDF voluntarily transmitted to the INPN (6) some of its data from inventories collected, i.e. approximately 50,000 occurrence data, in addition to the 15,000 occurrence data stemming from EDF’s mandatory contribution.
(1) inrae.fr
(2) MNHN: Muséum national d’histoire naturelle (i.e. French National Natural History Museum).
(3) Analysis carried out in September 2018 by the World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC) for EDF, EDF Renewables, EDF in the UK, Edison, EDF China and the International Division (Luminus, MECO, Nachtigal, EDF Norte Fluminense, NTPC, SLOE, and SNOP).
(4) Grid-scale: production facilities connected to the grid.
(5) Ecological Quality Index and Ecological Potential Index
(6) The National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN) is the portal of French biodiversity and geodiversity, both in metropolitan and overseas France. It disseminates knowledge on animal, plant and fungal species, natural environments, protected areas and geological heritage. All of this reference data, validated by networks of experts, is available to all, professionals, amateurs and citizens.
