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.

Considering the mitigation hierarchy, we have variables related to biodiversity in the methodology for selecting and prioritizing projects for investment. According to the methodology,projects under evaluation loses points if it interferes with protected areas and other areas relevant to environmental conservation as wetlands (Ramsar Convention); environmentally sensitive areas; areas where threatened, endemic and new to science species occur; priority areas for biodiversity conservation;areas with remnants of native vegetation and coastal zone and pioneer vegetation or dunes.

During the studies, 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.

We also consider issues related to biodiversity in Supplier Environmental Due Diligence. All new suppliers must complete an online form asking questions about their practices related to climate change, water, biodiversity, waste management and environmental legal requirements. For biodiversity, the supplier needs to respond about its voluntary socio-environmental actions/practices related to Biodiversity and/or ecosystem services.

Risks and Opportunities

Eletrobras developed a pilot 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, thermoelectric, wind, solar generation projects, transmission lines and their substations.

The study was carried out 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 the projects 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;

• Assessment of opportunities and proposition of 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 projects of Eletrobras companies.

Due to its relevance and based on the impact/dependency analysis, we sought to value the importance of this resource and the ecosystem service provision of water for Eletrobras companies and the risk associated with them, which demonstrated the high dependence on water for the business of Eletrobras companies. Its unavailability would result in direct impacts on its production activities, leading to loss of revenue due to the impossibility of generating energy, thus representing a high risk. The results of this pilot study were the basis for defining goals for biodiversity in the company.

In line with the goal of consolidating a trajectory towards zero net loss (no net loss) and positive impact (nature positive), we began, in 2024, the evaluation of material impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities associated with nature considering the LEAP (Find, Estimate, Assess and Prepare) approach and the TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) guidelines, aligned with Goal 15 of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), signed at COP 15 on Biodiversity. The expected completion date is 2025.

The implementation of the LEAP - TNFD approach at Eletrobras is based on metrics such as Global Core Metrics, Sectoral Core Metrics for Renewable Energy and additional alternatives and metrics by biome. The work is divided into the following steps:

• Identification of the most relevant priority locations at the interface of direct operations with issues related to nature, considering, when applicable, indirect upstream and downstream

• Qualitative diagnosis of impacts on biodiversity at corporate level, focusing on direct operations defined as more material and compliant with the TNFD

• Calculation of the Biodiversity Footprint at the site level for the priority sites defined in the Locate stage and in the qualitative impact diagnosis

• Qualitative diagnosis of dependencies on biodiversity and ecosystem services

• Diagnosis of Risks and Opportunities associated with nature

• Preparation of a Biodiversity Action Plan defining the corporate biodiversity strategy in the short, medium and long term, with guidelines for consolidating biodiversity in the business and governance model, in order to direct the company on an ecological trajectory, seeking best practices and optimizing measures already implemented

• Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Supplier Assessment Plan

​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 by the Board of Directors.​

For further information, check the Technical Documents Archive of our environment area.​

CHECK ALSO​

• ​Environmental Actions and Projects

• Eletrobras Companies Environmental Policy​