The Issue
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, can be defined as the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that sustain it.
Humans can be considered a part of nature, thus cultural diversity of human populations and the ways they interact with habitats and other species on Earth are also a component of biodiversity. We are in continuous interaction with the environment and dependent on it for our survival; biodiversity provides us with raw materials, food, medicine, clean air, climate regulation and fresh water (ecological services). However, biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate. Concern about this loss has prompted international, regional and national legislation (for example, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which came into force in December 1993), and it is being realised that conservation of biodiversity is the responsibility of all sectors of society.
Industry Activities
Sustainable development requires access to affordable energy, as well as the conservation of biodiversity and the critical ecosystem functions it provides. The interface between energy needs and biodiversity values lead to some complex challenges for society. Oil and gas operations may have a range of direct and indirect impacts on biodiversity at all stages of a project lifecycle, from exploration, production, transportation, refining and distribution through to marketing and decommissioning.. Recognising such challenges, companies are faced with finding a way to integrate biodiversity considerations into their internal business practices and operations. From a business perspective, this can minimise risk and may also enhance both company reputation and the ability to access key business resources.
Over the past 10 years, the oil and gas industry has put in place a wide variety of programmes to protect wildlife, rehabilitate and enhance habitats, support environmental education, fund continuous wildlife and vegetation surveys and conserve native species.
These projects involve close cooperation with wildlife authorities, indigenous populations, and other key interested parties to ensure proper planning and execution of environmental protection measures. These include environmental protection guidelines; environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA); prevention, mitigation and control; monitoring; decommissioning; contribution to science and technology cooperation and capacity building.
Companies are also increasingly forming partnerships with non governmental organisations and other conservation bodies to improve effectiveness in managing biodiversity issues. For example, the efforts of the Energy and Biodiversity Initiative to integrate biodiversity conservation into oil and gas development and transmission (e.g. through identifying minimum impact operational techniques, recommending criteria for site selection, and identifying effective indicators to measure biodiversity impacts).
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Biodiversity Links
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