2021 is a critical year for nature. It marks the beginning of the United Nations (UN) Decade on Ecosystem Restoration which was launched yesterday on World Environment Day (5 June), and the resumption of the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biodiversity (CBD COP-15).
This year, World Environment Day is centred around '#GenerationRestoration - Reimagine, recreate, restore', focusing on how the world can build back better and help restore the world's ecosystems and biodiversity following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The oil and gas industry can act as an essential partner in protecting and restoring nature, and Ipieca continues to lead industry engagement with key environmental stakeholders to support international progress on biodiversity, natural capital, water and air quality.
UNEP-WCMC-Ipieca Horizon scanning report 2021
In March 2021, UNEP-WCMC and Ipieca launched the third Biodiversity and ecosystem services horizon scanning report. The report aims to help companies identify the key drivers, challenges and opportunities for biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) management in the oil and gas industry with a focus on two key areas: (1) the risks and issues associated with BES and (2) how oil and gas companies can contribute to global conservation goals.
Mainstreaming the mitigation hierarchy
Ipieca, on behalf of its members, supports the need for efforts from the international oil and gas industry to mitigate impacts on biodiversity.
The 2020 Ipieca-IOGP Managing biodiversity and ecosystem services in oil and gas development: Mainstreaming the mitigation hierarchy, aligns closely with this years' World Environment Day theme, providing advice on how to avoid, minimise, restore and offset impacts throughout the lifecycle of an oil and gas project, and outlines BES good practices for the industry.
Ipieca-WBCSD SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector
In parallel to tackling the nature and biodiversity crisis, we are within the decade of delivery for achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The oil and gas sector has a fundamental role in achieving the goals and several companies are amplifying their SDGs impact.
The recently launched Ipieca-WBCSD Accelerating action: An SDG Roadmap for the oil and gas sector presents a series of impact opportunities which focus on where the sector can maximise its contributions to the SDGs across the interconnected themes of nature, climate and people. In the context of nature, the Roadmap highlights how the sector can embed circularity, nature-positive and natural capital concepts into operations to conserve and restore biodiversity and promote a healthier planet, with emphasis on contributing to priority SDGs 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14 and 15.
Building back better together
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown more than ever the crucial connection between nature, biodiversity and human health. We now have the chance to place nature at the heart of our recovery.
Ipieca's 2021-24 strategy prioritises environmental responsibility and includes a nature strategy that enables its members to advance protection of the natural environment, and minimise and mitigate risks and impacts from operations and products.
To date, Ipieca has developed over 70 environmental resources including good practice guides, awareness briefings, case studies and fact sheets, and more than 25 webinars, promoting responsible and sustainable operations across the sector.
Working with its members, the wider industry and stakeholders, Ipieca will continue to share knowledge, enable and promote good practice to support the whole sector to contribute to global conservation efforts.
