Eletrobras Companies seek minimal intervention in biodiversity in the planning, implementation and operation of their enterprises. Management and minimization of impacts on biodiversity, aiming for zero net loss, are priority themes in the companies' strategy and a guideline to be followed from planning to operation of the enterprises.
For each identified impact, actions are proposed to avoid, reduce, mitigate, repair and/or compensate these impacts, preventing risks. Potentializing actions for conservation and recovery of biodiversity and ecosystem services, seeking a net positive impact, in the regions where companies are located is also part of the strategy for managing the theme, which is guided by the biodiversity guidelines of Eletrobras Companies Environmental Policy.
Since 2012, our System of Indicators for Corporate Sustainability Management (IGS System) – Environment Dimension – has specific indicators and variables for the management of biodiversity, including indicators related to biodiversity targets.
Studies
The Biodiversity Working Group is responsible for promoting discussions and developing studies related to themes that aim to meet the demands of companies and contribute to the management of biodiversity at Eletrobras. The group's role in preparing and updating the Environmental Policy's biodiversity guidelines, proposing biodiversity indicators and targets, and carrying out studies stand out. Of particular note are "Assessment of Risks and Opportunities related to Biodiversity and Valuation of Priority Ecosystem Services for Eletrobras Companies", "Proposal of Guidelines for the Implementation of Network Tanks in Reservoirs of Hydroelectric Power Plants", "Diagnosis of Rescue of Fish in Reservoirs of Eletrobras companies ". The group is also responsible for monitoring discussions in external forums dealing with biodiversity.
In addition to the studies carried out by the Working Group on Aquatic Resources and Biodiversity, Eletrobras also develops work in partnership with various entities such as, for example, the Technical Biodiversity Committee (CTBio) of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), the of Sustainability Studies at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGVces).
Risks and Opportunities
The Biodiversity Working Group developed a study on exposure to risks related to biodiversity and ecosystem services and strategies for managing and improving the performance of Eletrobras companies.
The study considered all hydroelectric generation, fossil fuel thermoelectric, nuclear thermoelectric, wind, solar, transmission lines and their substations.
The study was based on the Replacement Cost Method (RCM) and the "Business Guidelines for the Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services - Version 2.0" and considered the following steps:
Assessment of the impacts of undertakings on biodiversity and ecosystem services and identification of priority resources and dependencies of Eletrobras companies;
Identification and analysis of risks related to biodiversity and ecosystem services that affect Eletrobras companies;
Assessing opportunities and proposing strategies related to biodiversity and ecosystem services to improve business management.
The analysis of priority ecosystem resources/services, both from the point of view of dependencies and impacts, identified water and its associated ecosystem service, water supply, as the greatest dependence for the operation of practically all types of undertakings of the Eletrobras companies.
Due to its relevance and based on the impact/dependence analysis, an attempt was made to value the importance of the water resource and the ecosystem service provision of water for the Eletrobras companies and the risk associated with them, which demonstrated the high dependence on water for the business of the Eletrobras companies. Its unavailability would result in direct impacts on its productive activities, leading to loss of income due to the impossibility of generating energy, thus representing a high risk.
In relation to the impacts, it is not possible to acquire water, necessary for generation, from another basin or from the supply concessionaires, even in the case of thermal plants where the required volume is smaller. Therefore, and since it is not possible to generate without the resource, for all the projects evaluated, the impact would be the stoppage of production with consequent total loss of revenue, a risk that can be classified as a risk of the existence of the business.
Commitments
We are signatories of the Brazilian Business Commitment to Biodiversity. The document sets out nine goals to be met by 2030 and aims to emphasize the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services to companies, based on the premise of action aligned with national and global biodiversity strategic plans.
In 2020, we joined to the Business for Nature initiative called Call to Action, a call for collective actions to reverse nature loss by 2030. These actions are in line with our goal of being an active agent for nature conservation, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
In 2023 we signed the Letter from the Brazilian business sector on biodiversity and Announcement from the Brazilian Business Sector about the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 – Terrestrial Life - was prioritized by Eletrobras Companies, in 2020, and biodiversity indicators and targets were defined in the Business and Management Master Plan. The targets aim to expand actions for the conservation and recovery of biodiversity in the regions where the companies are located, as follows:
Zero loss of vegetated and/or forested areas by companies
Inclusion of new threatened species in conservation projects carried out by the companies
Increased investment in projects that contribute to biodiversity management - 1% per year compared to % of base year
Increased carbon fixation in biomass (ton.) - 5% per year compared to the previous year.
The progress of the goals is monitored by the Environmental Dimension and the Business Performance Dimension of the IGS System and monitored quarterly by the Board of Directors, the Sustainability and Strategic Governance Committee, the Executive Board and the Environment Committee of the Eletrobras companies.
| Total area protected and/or reforested by the company | Annual for five years | 2021 | Zero loss of vegetated areas protected and/or reforested by Group companies | 134,197 ha of forested areas | 269,704 ha of forested areas | Target met |
| Species in the IUCN Red List and national conservation lists included in programs to preserve threatened species | Annual for five years | 2021 | Annually include at least one new threatened species in conservation programs | 34 new threatened species included in Eletrobras Group conservation programs | 85 new threatened species included in Eletrobras Group conservation programs | Target met, with 51 new threatened species in Eletrobras Group conservation programs |
| Voluntary investment in projects supporting biodiversity management | Annual for five years | 2021 | Increase the share of investments in biodiversity projects out of total research and environmental projects by 1% from the baseline | R$ 1,673,712 in voluntary investments in biodiversity conservation, representing 1.2% of total spending on environmental protection. | R$ 1,321,919 in voluntary investments in biodiversity conservation, representing 2.8% of total spending on environmental protection. | Target met, with voluntary investments in biodiversity conservation out of total spending on environmental protection increasing by 1.6% |
| Biomass carbon sequestration (t) | Annual for five years | 2021 | Increase biomass carbon sequestration in areas reforested by Group companies by 5% per year | 75,180 tCO₂e sequestered by biomass | 94,530 tCO₂e sequestered by biomass | Target met, with biomass carbon sequestration increasing by 20.5%
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*Figures for 2021 have been restated to exclude data for Eletronuclear, Itaipu Binacional and Cepel.
In addition, in 2021 we included in our portfolio of public notices a specific public notice for socio-environmental projects focused on biodiversity.
See some of our actions aimed at the recovery and protection of biodiversity
For further information, check the Technical Documents Archive of our environment area.
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