[4.5] Natural Capital

  Management approach Principal activities 2018 Outlook
Protect the environment and stop the loss of biodiversity
  • Conserve and recover the ecosystems associated with our activities, coordinating the biodiversity plans of the businesses in affected areas.
  • Improve the compatibility of Iberdrola’s infrastructure with protection of the environment.
  • Avoid discharges and pollution of water and soil, all in line with Iberdrola’s Biodiversity Policy and Environmental Policy.
  • Promote the protection of ecosystems in the surroundings of the facilities.
  • Acquisition of ISO-TS 14072 Certificate for Corporate Environmental Footprint (CEF) 2017.
  • Corporate European Environment Award (Spain section).
  • Climate Change Adaptation Report for activities in Spain.
  • Biodiversity Report, 2014-2017 Edition.
  • Sustainable General Shareholders’ Meeting 2018:
    • ISO 20121 certification as a sustainable event for third consecutive year.
    • Renewal of all certificates updating to the new ISO 14001:2015 standard.
  • Development of a strategic plan for climate change adaptation.
  • Environmental guidelines linked to the SDGs.
  • Restoration, recovery, improvement and maintenance of surroundings and habitats.
  • Integrate the concept of natural capital.
Combat climate change and its effects
  • Prevent pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) through practices that reduce or eliminate the production of pollutants at source.
  • Reduce the emissions of non-GHGs into the air.
  • Gradually replace equipment using substances that reduce the ozone layer.
  • Promotion of awareness-raising campaigns regarding air quality.
  • New GHG emissions-free facilities (renewable, wind, hydroelectric, etc.).
  • Increase in emission-free installed capacity to 68.2%.
  • Emissions in Spain were 82 gr/kWh, approximately 75% less than the European average.
  • Commitment to reduce emissions, and active participation in the Katowice Climate Change Conference (Poland).
  • Sustainable Mobility Plan.
  • Achieve a 50% reduction in emissions intensity by the year 2030 in comparison to 2007.
  • Be carbon neutral by 2050.
  • Develop innovation projects geared towards reducing pollution.
  • Promotion of electric vehicles:
    • Installation of 25,000 electric vehicle charging points in Spain by 2021.
  • Active participation in achieving the SDGs approved in September 2015 (with priority given to goals 7 and 13).
Guarantee sustainable modes of production and consumption
  • Continuous improvement in operational performance.
  • Implementation of actions to increase energy efficiency.
  • Decrease in consumption of natural resources.
  • Inclusion of environmental variable in the design of infrastructure (Eco-design).
  • Improvement in control and management of waste generated.
  • Innovative activities in environmental management and control.
  • Assurance of quality in environmental management.
  • Efficient management of water consumption.
  • Report on status of circular economy in the sector.
  • Improvement in withdrawal and consumption of inland water at all generation facilities.
  • Reuse and recycling of water.
  • Improvement in reuse and recycling of waste.
  • Development and promotion of new ecodesign initiatives.
  • Analysis of life cycle.
  • Life Cycle Costing.
  • The circular economy as strategic cornerstone.
  • Verification of Iberdrola’s Water Footprint.
Revitalise alliances with Stakeholders for sustainable development
  • Strengthen transparent dialogue with Stakeholders in order to work together in seeking solutions to environmental problems.
  • Manage environmental compliance by suppliers.
  • Transparently report on environmental results and activities.
  • Optimisation of and innovation in environmental management systems.
  • Environmental transparency and communication:
    • Development of new EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations).
  • Communication of environmental performance, development of methodology.
  • Environmental communication plan.

The environmental dimension is a key factor in the concept of sustainability

Specific CO2 emissions produced by facilities in Europe (Carbon factor in g of CO2/MWh)

(Carbon factor in g of CO2/MWh)
European carbon factor 2017: 290 g CO2/kWh Source: “Facteur carbone européen Comparaison des émissions de CO2 des principaux électriciens européens” PwC France. Dec. 2018.

(1) The 139 g CO2 in this chart refers to emissions from Iberdrola’s facilities in Europe during 2017. The other companies only include the European space.

Intensity of emissions in Spain (g CO2/kWh)

In 2018, CO2 emissions in Spain were 82 grams per kilowatt-hour, well below that of other Spanish companies and approximately 75% less than the European average.

Intensity of group emissions at the global level (g CO2/kWh)

Volume of recovered, reused or recycled waste (t)

Key Figures