EDF - 2010 : International Year of Biodiversity

By declaring 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity, the United Nations Organisation (UNO) is aiming to raise the international community’s awareness of the wealth and fragility of biodiversity. An exceptional year, in which the EDF Group is naturally becoming involved; its business taking daily account of this primary issue, which is equally as important as climate change. A first glimpse of the programme.

A notion formalised at the Rio Summit in 1992; biodiversity covers all forms of life on earth, including fauna, flora, natural environments and the human race, as well as relationships between them. Faced with overwhelming threats (increasing urbanisation, agricultural practices, deforestation, pollution, etc.), the preservation of biological diversity has become a worldwide issue. Preserving biodiversity means protecting entire species and ecosystems and everything they may give to the human race as well as developing the sustainable use of resources and “life” on the planet.

The primary concern of EDF : to monitor and reduce the impact of its industrial activities. For many years, EDF has made environmental issues a key part of its strategy. Preservation of biodiversity is one of the Group’s 9 sustainable development policy commitments.

Understanding biodiversity and evaluating its impacts

Preserving biodiversity by taking action to minimise the impact of production facilities (power plants), protecting and restoring natural areas

providing information, raising awareness and offering biodiversity training to both its employees and the general public

The partnership with associations and the scientific community is a preferred way of implementing this policy and carrying out its actions.

In France, EDF is partner with the French committee of International Union for Nature Conservation and some "Centres Permanents d'Initiatives pour l'Environnement" (French associations for Environment). Since 2008, it is also partner of French Fête de la Nature festival with UICN and the French "Terre Sauvage" Magazine. The EDF Diversiterre Foundation is associated with the Nicolas Hulot Foundation, the Conservatoire du Littoral (Coastal Protection Agency), the Réserves Naturelles de France (French Natural Reserves Department), the Bird Protection League and the International Union for Nature Conservation.

In Europe, a number of actions are initiated through the societies of the Group as in Poland, where EC Kracow has surrounded itself with scientists and ornithologists in order to prepare an action plan for 2010 – 2012, which is designed to protect common kestrels which nest close to its facilities. In Hungary, Demasz maps the areas of its network that are most dangerous to birds and, between now and 2020, will be deploying a system that will enable 97% of birds in at-risk areas to be saved. En Italy, the Edison Fondation, since 2006, has been working with the Abruzzes National Park to protect the Marsican Brown Bear and its habitat.

In the rest of the world, in Laos, on Nam Theun's building site, the biggest dam of South-East Asia, wildlife and habitat programs allows to collect and protect of vegetal and animal species concerned by the flooding of the reservoir.