We are aware that reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and those of our customers is the top priority for the protection of biodiversity. In fact, this is where we see our greatest contribution to be made.
Climate change is one of the biggest causes of biodiversity loss, as ecosystems are changing due to temperature increases, climatic changes and extreme weather events, biological processes are becoming desynchronized and both plants and animals are unable to adapt to these changes quickly enough. At the same time, biodiversity is a basic prerequisite for combating climate change and adapting to its consequences. Healthy ecosystems bind enormous amounts of greenhouse gases and mitigate the consequences of extreme weather events.
When switching to new technologies, biodiversity must always be taken into account in order to avoid damaging the ecosystem.
We have identified several areas of action for the active protection of biodiversity that are currently in focus. A central element is the integration of biodiversity into our strategic and investment decisions. All projects are comprehensively assessed to ensure that there is no significant degradation of biodiversity in our development projects and that improvements are made where possible. For projects that do not require a formal EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment), internal checks are applied. In addition, the current status quo of biodiversity at our sites is assessed in order to identify priority locations for improvement measures. In all our new projects, we implement targeted measures to promote biodiversity - not only within the framework of legal requirements, but also to actively preserve and strengthen habitats.
The definition of biodiversity according to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is:
"Variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part. This includes diversity within species (genetic diversity), between species (species diversity) and the diversity of ecosystems (and the interactions within them)."
Science clearly shows that our planet has ecological limits, so-called planetary boundaries
As an energy company, we are aware that our sector makes a significant contribution to these developments - particularly in the area of greenhouse gas emissions. This awareness makes us critically question our business model. Our goal is to measurably reduce emissions, actively shape systemic change and be CO2-neutral at Group level by 2040.
The nine planetary boundaries were originally defined by the Stockholm Resilience Center in 2009 and have been regularly updated since then. They describe the ecological limits within which humanity can operate safely. Exceeding them means an increased risk of irreversible environmental change.
concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. > exceeded
loss of biodiversity and ecosystem functions > far exceeded
conversion of natural ecosystems into agricultural or settlement areas > exceeded
extraction of blue water (groundwater and surface water) and green water (groundwater and rainwater) > regionally exceeded
Over-fertilization due to nitrogen and phosphorus input into soils and water > far exceeded
PH value changes in the oceans due to CO2 uptake > not yet exceeded
particles in the atmosphere (e.g. particulate matter, soot) that affect climate and health > not yet quantified (regionally critical)
protection from UV radiation by the ozone layer > not exceeded
Spread of man-made substances without sufficient risk assessment > probably exceeded
Our business activities can have a negative impact on biodiversity. We want to minimize this risk as much as possible. We therefore comply with all applicable laws and regulations and take a prudent approach to the operation of our plants. In addition, we work with local authorities and nature conservation organizations to protect and promote biodiversity at our sites and in the vicinity of our plants.
In addition to consistently and purposefully reducing CO2 in all our business processes along our entire value chain, we actively implement measures to protect the environment and biodiversity at our sites.
The European eel is a fascinating and critically endangered fish species whose life cycle is one of the most unusual in the animal kingdom. It is believed to be born in the Sargasso Sea, migrates for 1-3 years over thousands of kilometers to European rivers - including in Germany and Sweden - and spends many years there before returning to the sea to reproduce.
As operators of hydropower plants in both countries, we have a special responsibility to protect this migratory species. This is because turbines pose a considerable risk to the eel during its return migration to the sea. In order to reduce this risk as far as possible, we rely on various technologies and measures to make eel migration safer:
We pay eel fishermen at almost all power plant sites on the Main for their eel catches so that these eels can be transported to the Rhine by Catch & Carry. The Catch & Carry measure alone enables around 6,600 kg of eels to be safely transported from the Main to the Rhine each year and continue their migration to the Sargasso Sea. Uniper invests around 80,000 euros a year in catching and transporting the eels. This measure is made possible through cooperation with the Lower Franconia Fishing Association, which coordinates the individual fishermen on the Main, and the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
Eel-adapted operation during the main migration period in fall and winter with the help of the MIGROMAT® biological early warning system. This consists of two long-flow basins, which are divided by partitions with openings. Eels caught in the field and willing to migrate are kept in the tanks under controlled conditions. At the beginning of a migration wave, a change in behavior can be measured in these eels, the so-called “premigratory restlessness”. This indicates that a migration event is imminent in the next few hours. A safe migration route is then opened for the eels via the weir system so that they do not have to pass through the turbines
Fish ladders and bypass systems, which allow eels and other fish species to safely bypass turbines, are installed at our sites and tested for their success rate.
Monitoring and research in cooperation with environmental authorities such as the Aschaffenburg Water Management Office and the Lower Franconia Fisheries Advisory Service and scientific institutions such as the Institute for Applied Ecology.
Oxygen concentration in rivers due to rising temperatures and more frequent hot spells as a result of climate change, our rivers are warming up more. Warm water can store less oxygen - a risk for fish and other aquatic life. Especially in hot, dry summers, there is a risk of oxygen deficiency, which affects the ecological balance in rivers.
On the Main and Danube, for example, the responsible authorities now have ecological alarm plans in place that show how to react if certain temperature limits are exceeded or the oxygen content falls below the required level in order to ease the situation. As we also operate on these rivers with our thermal power plants and hydropower plants, we carried out a water test on the Danube together with the government of the Upper Palatinate. The aim was to find out what influence a hydropower plant can have on the oxygen concentration in the water. Some of our power plants can blow compressed air into the river via aeration valves in their turbines. Others enrich the river with oxygen by creating turbulence in the water when it flows over the weir. And indeed: the oxygen enhancement through turbine aeration could be clearly demonstrated up to 2 km downstream of the power plant and is therefore a valuable contribution to the protection of aquatic species during these extreme weather conditions.
The results of the investigation have been incorporated into the Danube Ecology Alarm Plan (ADÖ). In the event of an alarm, we will continue to work closely with the authorities to implement the appropriate measures.
