Biodiversity and Ecosystems



Eni considers the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems an essential component of the way it manages its activities, paying particular attention to:

• the protection of species at risk of extinction
• the conservation of protected areas and areas relevant in terms of biodiversity
• the enhancement of the environmental, cultural and social assets of the countries in which it operates,
• the efficient management of water, above all in areas subjected to water stress
• the protection of ecosystems and the ecological and social services they generate.

Eni identifies and evaluates all potential impacts from its operations on species, habitats and ecosystems. At a local level, Eni supports initiatives that combine the protection of biodiversity and ecosystems with opportunities for the development of local communities, building an awareness of the issues in the territory with dedicated initiatives. In fact, Eni believes that it is necessary to involve all interested parties and to promote partnerships with NGOs and scientific bodies, with a view to improving knowledge about and awareness of the issues.
By applying the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the guidelines of the Energy and Biodiversity Initiative and the operating tools developed by the IPIECA-OGP Biodiversity Working Group, of which it has held the chair since 2010, Eni is recognised as one of the companies on the front line in the identification of adequate strategies and activities to deal with the challenges of the Oil & Gas sector.
In particular, Eni is mapping operating sites with respect to areas with a high level of biodiversity and presence of ecosystem services with a view to differentiating operations on the basis of their relevance to such environmental considerations and to prioritise the implementation of Biodiversity Action Plans. Since 2008, Eni has adhered to the UNEP-WCMC "Proteus 2012" which aims to improve accessibility and the quality of the global database of protected areas that are important for biodiversity. The benefits that derive from being a part of this initiative are related to the availability of complete up-to-date quality information, indispensable for the implementation of the operating sites mapping of the E&P Division, while systematically integrating these issues in new development projects.
An Eni pilot programme for the application of the EBI guidelines , the Agri Biodiversity Project,  was implemented in Val d'Agri (Basilicata, Italy) from 2003 to 2007. The results demonstrated how, on the basis of scientific evidence, the impact on biodiversity (in particular on vegetation) of petroleum activities is limited, localised and recoverable in a relatively short time thanks to the application of the procedures that the project itself identified. The results also highlighted the impact of local socio-economic changes on the natural environment and made it possible to define a specific Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), currently underway, aimed at mitigating the impacts identified, remediating the consequences and monitoring the effectiveness of the action taken.
A similar project was developed and recently completed in Ecuador (Villano Biodiversity Project) that demonstrated the transferability of the approach developed in Val d'Agri and how the adoption of environmental protection technologies and practices from the beginning of a development project is fundamental in limiting or even eliminating the effect of petroleum activities on the surround natural environment (primary forest). Also in this case, the recommendations of the project will be implemented by the subsidiary Agip Oil Ecuador through a specific BAP in collaboration with a local university that participated in the Villano Biodiversity project and the involvement of the local community.
Biodiversity projects have also been implemented in Arctic coastal zones in Norway (Biosea and Arctic Sea Biodiversity Projects) and in Alaska (Nikaitchuq block). The Biosea project in particular made it possible to test the effectiveness of the use of biomarkers in the evaluation of the potential effects of petroleum activities on fish and invertebrates; the Arctic Sea Biodiversity project demonstrated the transferability of the approach developed in the onshore projects in Val d' Agri and Ecuador in an offshore context (Barents Sea) and the Biodiversity Risk Assessment & Action Plan in the North Slope highlighted the ecologically sensitive elements (including polar bears, whales, migrating birds and fish) with regard to operations in the Nikaitchuq block and defined a specific BAP for the appropriate management measures.
Moreover, in 2010 evaluation activities began in the onshore area of M' boundi in Congo and biodiversity and ecosystem services issues were integrated in the new ESHIA standards for the evaluation of the environmental, social and health impacts to be implemented in all new development projects.

In 2009 Eni began to identify tools and methods to measure the relationship between ecosystem services and its activities, both in terms of dependence and potential impacts, through participation in the Environmental Services, Tools & Markets Working Group promoted by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the "Ecosystem" working group of the WBCSD. In particular, in the context of the WBCSD working group, Eni played the role of road tester for the Ecosystem Valuation Initiative, contributing to the development and application of the first methodological system for the economic evaluation of ecosystem services for the private sector (Corporate Ecosystem Valuation, CEV), published in April 2010.

In order to define a method for the application of an ecosystem approach to its operating activities, Eni joined the Ecosystem Valuation Initiative promoted by the WBCSD   for the creation of the world's first methodology (Corporate Ecosystem Valuation), for the identification and evaluation of the correlation between the company's activities and ecosystem services. The final version guide was published on 8 April 2010. The'Ecosystem Valuation Initiative included the realisation of a pilot project that Eni conducted in Italy on its onshore activities in the south of the country in collaboration with the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, WBCSD and IUCN. The research was based on a study of the changes in soil use related to petroleum operations using geo-referencing software. The most relevant ecosystem services under examination were identified through consultation with local stakeholders and Eni technicians in line with the principles prescribed by the "Ecosystem Services Review" methodology (WBCSD 2008).
The pilot project made it possible to make an initial evaluation of the increase in value of the ecosystem services identified (availability of water, recreational value, climate regulation and production of vegetation) as determined by mitigation activities, as defined by the previously completed biodiversity conservation study.
The experience gained from the pilot project will be used in the definition of an initial evaluation method for ecosystem services designed for Eni's activities with a complete project to be carried out in collaboration with the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei . 

In 2010 Eni made a first worldwide mapping of one of the most important ecosystem services: the supply of fresh water, using the Global Water Tool developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development  (WBCSD) to monitor its own risks with regard to impacts of water resources. This enabled the identification of activities in areas classified as being subject to water stress, or in areas at risk for health conditions or communities with no access to fresh water or lacking the infrastructure for the treatment and distribution of water. Critical signals regarding water consumption are determined by comparing specific water consumption figures with indicators, broken down by geographic area or water basin, from external databases (FAO, WHO) such as the number of inhabitants, water availability and the scale of consumption for domestic, agricultural and industrial use, access to quality water. For critical plants, projects are foreseen for the optimisation of water resources, and by examining the forecasts to 2020 and 2050 on the availability of water as a result of climate change it has been possible to draw up long-term strategies.
Consequently, Eni has an overall picture of the situation regarding both water resources for its industrial activities and the situation of the countries in which it operates: to date, 249 production sites have been examined while management and coordination centres and suppliers will be examined subsequently.
The evaluation showed that some 10% of production sites are located in areas affected by water stress and only 5% are in critical condition regarding health. The critical countries in terms of health are Congo, Angola, Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan and Nigeria. While poor distribution infrastructure is critical in Angola, Congo and Nigeria and the countries subject to water stress are Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Pakistan and the UAE.
A study also began in 2011 to identify risks associated with water resources in Algeria. In Libya and Congo water re-injection projects are already operational to limit the disposal of formation water and avoid the use of freshwater in the maintenance of oil field pressure. An evaluation in terms of  environmental and social impact of the volumes drawn and disposed, will lead to the identification of sustainable qualitative targets that reconcile the need for access to both water and energy resources by local populations; therefore also the main suppliers will be included in the demand for a report on water consumption. At the end of the evaluation, an economic estimate will be made of both the direct costs and the cost of eventual action, and any costs generated by the unavailability of resources for local use.
The model for the evaluation and forecast of risks of the economic impact of possible action strategies also takes account of the results of the international working groups, such as the IPIECA, the GEMI network and the CDP water disclosure, of which Eni is a part.