reverse the climate emergency it requires actions that are not only forceful, but also effective when it comes to reducing polluting emissions. And, for this to be the case, it is necessary first to put them into operation, but also to measure their results. This is done by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a non-profit organization that annually analyzes the climate action of the world’s leading companies, entities and governments. For example, monitoring its carbon footprint, forest management, the use of water resources or its compensation mechanisms. Among the companies that appear again this year in the high area of the index is Naturgy.
In this sense, the energy company put yourself by 12th time among the group of world leaders for their action in favor of the climate. This distinction has been made taking into account the work carried out by Naturgy in relation to corporate governance, strategy, risk and opportunity management, metrics and emission reduction targets. In addition, it has been recognized with a Management level for the management that the company carries out of water resources.
“This recognition endorses the actions we are carrying out to be a key actor in the energy transition and the fight against climate change. In the current context, companies play a prominent role in the shift towards a decarbonized model. For this reason, our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan includes the goal of zero emissions in 2050 and an installed capacity of close to 60% from a renewable source in 2025”, he assures Nuria Rodriguez, Director of Environment and Social Responsibility of the company.
emission reduction
The results support the work they have carried out in recent years. Thus, since 2017, They have reduced their direct greenhouse gas emissions by 37%, their CO2 intensity in electricity generation by 33% and their total carbon footprint by 9%. In addition, in 2021, 33% of its installed power was renewable. “We assume the energy transition as a real opportunity for Naturgy and proof of this is our commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 at the latest,” they stress.
The way to achieve this goes through two types of strategies. One of them, related to its direct activity and, the other, with emission compensation projects that imply an improvement for its environment. The first area includes all those decisive steps that Naturgy is taking towards climate neutrality, advancing in a more sustainable energy mix with the development of a renewable portfolio that currently has more than 5.4 GW of operating power, of which close to 1 GW have come into operation this year.
“Our strategy for the coming years is focused on continuing to grow in renewable energy, both in wind and solar generation as developing innovative biomethane and green hydrogen projects”, they advance from the company.
own forest
At the same time, the company is committed to restoring natural capital and biodiversity through multiple initiatives, such as the one called Natural Forest. This is its first corporate forest, with the aim of contributing to the creation of natural capital, generating native ecosystems, and move towards climate neutrality thanks to the carbon absorption capacity offered by trees.
This action, promoted together with Bosquia Nature, will recover degraded areas in Galicia and will have international FSC certification, which guarantees forest management with biodiversity criteria and benefits for the local population. “This point is especially important for Naturgy, since we believe that climate solutions have to go hand in hand with biodiversity and social development, which is why it focuses its estrategy for the absorption and compensation of emissions in projects that generate a net creation of natural capital and suppose a positive impact on the population of the area”, detail from the company.
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This initiative joins the many others that Naturgy has promoted to promote natural environments. In this way, only in 2021, 302 biodiversity initiatives were developed internationally, 25% voluntary, as well as environmental restoration actions in 635 hectares, of which 29% correspond to spaces, habitats or protected species.
carbon neutrality
All this within the framework of Net zero commitment of the energy multinational for 2050 and in its biodiversity protection policy, as part of its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. The objective is the same that should guide all companies and governments to stop global warming: reduce greenhouse gas emissions from their activity as much as possible and, if necessary, use mechanisms to absorb the remaining emissions, through absorption projects that promote the creation of ecosystems of high biodiversity value.
COmpensa2: remove CO2 from the atmosphere
Beyond the climatic requirements established by law, there is a whole series of voluntary actions that help reduce the environmental impact of a company and, incidentally, strengthen its environmental commitment. In the case of Naturgy, since 2014 they have had the COmpensa2 Initiative, with which they offset the emissions produced in their different work centers and the trips of their employees.
Thus, to reduce emissions corresponding to the year 2021, the company has acquired 9,634 certified emission reductions in the secondary market, which allow the implementation of projects in developing countries that reduce, avoid or eliminate GHG emissions into the atmosphere.