Sustainability

The oceans are among the most beautiful and mysterious places on Earth. They cover more than 70% of the planet, regulate the climate and support biodiversity that is essential for life. However, they are under threat from growing pollution that, for decades, was downplayed under the mistaken belief that the sea was so vast it could absorb any waste without consequences. Today, we know that is not the case.

Global warming is causing glaciers and ice sheets to melt. The average sea level has risen 3.2 mm/year since 1993. This is catastrophic for islands and coastal regions. Especially in places like Kiribati, an idyllic Pacific atoll nation that seems destined to become the first victim of climate change.

Atmospheric pollution is not the only type of contamination that is harming living beings on the planet. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is one of the most dangerous environmental threats to health. In Europe alone, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), it causes 66,000 premature deaths each year and tens of thousands of cases of cardiovascular disease and type two diabetes.

Climate change is a threat to the future of our planet, but there is still time for us to adapt to it and mitigate its effects. Below, we take a look at the measures being put in place and travel in time to see what the world will look like if we are to halt global warming.

We have inaugurated the Baixo Iguaçu Hydroelectric Plant in Paraná, Brazil, which supplies a million people with renewable energy due to its total installed capacity of 350 MW. This facility actively maintains the water balance and guarantees the force of the famous Iguaçu waterfalls.

Kids should start their environmental education at school. The fate of the planet will be in their hands, so it is crucial for them to learn how to use resources wisely and do their bit in the battle against climate change from an early age. The results of this difficult test could be a better, more sustainable and inhabitable world.

In 2016, Iberdrola was the first IBEX 35 company -and the first electricity company among the ten largest in the world- to obtain ISO 20121 certification to accredit the sustainable management of our General Shareholders' Meeting. Four years later, we were once again pioneers among IBEX 35 companies in extending the scope of our most important corporate events for shareholders and the financial community under the same management system: Results Presentations, Capital Markets & ESG Day and the General Shareholders' Meeting.

When we talk about pollution, we tend to look up at the sky. However, this environmental challenge goes far beyond the atmosphere. Soils, which are essential for food production, are also seriously affected, compromising ecosystems as well as the quality and safety of our food.