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Biodiversity

Apr 30, 2020

            Fast guide

 

With more than 50,000 registered species and nearly 31 million hectares protected, equivalent to 15% of the national territory, our country ranks second worldwide in biodiversity. The following information and figures; have been consolidated based on taxonomic reclassifications and reports from the Von Humboldt Institute:

Colombia is a country recognized as a megadiverse territory where complexity, fragility and biological diversity are interwoven with a history and a dynamic and complex social, economic and political present, which influence ecosystems to confront at least 5 major drivers of loss to biodiversity, which are described below (Center for Sustainable Development Goals for Latin America, 2019):

  • Land use change: It consists of the transformation of natural ecosystems by agriculture, deforestation and urbanization. 40% of the country's surface has undergone a severe transformation.
  • Direct overexploitation of species: It is the depletion of wild fauna and flora that is used as a natural resource, in fisheries, forest use, and gathering of wild products.li>
  • Biological invasions: They are produced by the introduction of wild or domesticated species in spaces outside their original distribution. They produce devastating effects on islands and fragile ecosystems, and threaten to homogenize the world's flora and fauna.
  • Water and soil contamination: occurs due to the dumping of polluting substances or that alter the natural conditions of ecosystems; can generate local and regional impacts on biodiversity, and that if not stopped would contribute to the global collapse of populations and species.
  • Climate change:the stresses of climate on ecological systems are already observed, with the change in the distribution or integrity of populations of fauna and flora. If it continues, climate change could become the main driver of biodiversity loss, since it affects the other direct drivers.

In order to minimize these impacts, the company carries out biodiversity and ecosystem service management processes aimed at generating the least amount and magnitude of residual impacts, based on the implementation of the mitigation hierarchy.

Mitigation hierarchy (Source: Practical Guide to Ecological Restoration, 2018, Biodiversity Foundation, of the Ministry for Ecological Transition, Spain).

This hierarchy refers to the sequence of measures designed to manage the negative impacts of a project, work or activities, in search of a non-net loss of biodiversity and must be applied for decision-making in its planning and design.

Ecopetrol's Biodiversity Strategy

With the adoption of the biodiversity strategy from Ecopetrol we seek to generate a positive impact, meet stakeholder expectations, avoid redesign costs and project delays, maintain the license to operate and gain access to new business opportunities, through the management of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Our strategy is based on four axes:

Prevention and mitigation of impacts on biodiversity  

Ecopetrol S.A. declares that it does not have, nor does it plan to intervene with exploration, production or refining activities in areas of great value for biodiversity classified according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature-IUCN in categories I to IV, consolidated in Figure 3.

Similarly, Ecopetrol does not have projects or operations in areas declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, nor does it plan to intervene in these types of areas.

Areas of great value for biodiversity, categories according to IUCN categories I to IV.

 

World Heritage Areas and Ecopetrol operations. (Source: Ecopetrol, Environmental Management and Relationship)

Biodiversity management results

Information from the 2017 Sustainability Report, Strategic Regional Environmental Investment (IARE)

* The accumulated data corresponds only to the last year of the validity, since this includes the initiatives of previous years.

The trend of the results and the new goals proposed show the commitment of Ecopetrol S.A. with the comprehensive management of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Strategic alliances for the management of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Regarding voluntary initiatives, Ecopetrol during 2020 continued with the execution of the agreements:

With these initiatives, Ecopetrol has achieved the protection of various habitats in the Middle Magdalena, the Eastern Plains and the Andean-Amazonian Piedemonte; areas of interest given that the company's exploration and production activities are carried out in these. Achievements in Biodiversity Management of Ecopetrol S.A. 2017 - 2020. The main results of the management in this area are included.

 

Vida Silvestre Project

The Vida Silvestre-PVS Project is an initiative for the conservation of biodiversity financed by Ecopetrol that began in 2013, with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) as an ally, with the support of the Mario Santo Domingo Foundation, the Action for Action Fund Environment and Children, and local allied organizations that lead actions in the work landscapes.

In 2020 the initiative was recognized by the Ministry of Mines and Energy with the first place in the program "Significant Experiences in Environmental and Social Management of the Mining and Energy Sector”.

 

Main advances and achievements of the Wildlife Project.

Landscape and other species are favored by conservation agreements

 

Data have been collected in the areas under conservation agreements that show positive impacts on the prioritized species and other species, thanks to the increase of territory for their mobilization, reducing the pressures of extinction.

 

Some species are increasing their populations in landscapes

The degree of occupation of the prioritized species in each landscape was evaluated, showing the increase in the use of territory and its populations, based on the conservation actions implemented..

Species like turtles are maintaining their populations and even showing signs of recovery.

Deforestation is lower in the intervention landscape than in the surrounding landscapes..

 

There is evidence of a positive trend in avoided deforestation, presenting a lower percentage of deforestation in the intervention landscapes compared to similar areas outside the project.

Species are using biological corridors

 

From the monitoring data recorded with camera traps, it is evidenced that there is a use of biological corridors that have been promoted through the initiative, allowing the mobility of different species between forest fragments.

 

Source: Vida Silvestre Ecopetrols Project - WCS.

Learn more about the Wildlife project by clicking here

 

Fibras Project
 


 

As part of the agreement between Ecopetrol and the Alexander Von Humboldt Institute, the Ecoreservas Network strategy has been consolidated, which corresponds to a Complementary Conservation Strategies (ECC), in which the properties that had a high contribution to conservation were identified. of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Ecoreserves are defined as geographically delimited areas owned by Ecopetrol that are voluntarily used in part or in full for the conservation of biodiversity and the supply of ecosystem services, without limiting their productive and exploratory vocation.

The benefits of Ecoreservas are:

  • Passive restoration
  • Strengthening Ecosystem Services
  • Possible alliances with local, national and international actors.strong>
  • Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
  • Applied science, technology and innovation research.
  • Participatory governance scheme and local opportunities based on the bioeconomy, nature-based solutions and green businesses.

The Ecoreservas network is made up of Ecopetrol properties that together make up the Ecoreservas. During 2020, six pilot areas were included, with more than 11,000 hectares.

 

Ecoreserva

Department

ha

La Tribuna and two adjoining properties

Huila

254,0

Englobe CPF Cupiagua

Casanare

544,0

Agro-energy Sustainability Area AESA

Meta

286,0

Estate La Esperanza (Refinería Barranca)

Santander

457,0

Campo Rubiales

Meta

10.168,5

Isla IV Puerto Wilches- Cantagallo

Santander

197,0

Total

 

11.906,5

 

 

The future goals of this Ecoreservas plan include the establishment of 50 Ecoreservas throughout the Ecopetrol Business Group.

know about these and other details of this project by clicking here. aquí.

 

Main advances and achievements of the Agreement with the Alexander von Humboldt Institute.

Agreement ECP - Instituto Alexander von Humboldt

Agreement to plan socially and ecologically areas of interest to Ecopetrol, as a contribution to a sustainable transition of the hydrocarbon sector in Colombia.

 

  • Methodology to identify connectivity corridors between the selected properties and others identified with potential for designation as ECC.
  • Evaluation of the socio-ecological resilience in the areas of interest of ECOPETROL in the Magdalena Medio and the Orinoquia and the identification of relationships between the social and ecological elements that make up the nuclei of interest analyzed.li>
  • Landscape heterogeneity analysis and selection of areas for implementation of the monitoring strategy in Orinoquia and Magdalena Medio.
  • First season of the largest passive monitoring process that has been carried out in Colombia through the installation of 599 camera traps.
  • Cost-effectiveness analysis for the conservation of biodiversity in the landscapes of interest defined in the Piedemonte Casanare area.
  • Results of the first expedition of Sustainable Uses of Biodiversity, which includes: list of species identified with potential for use, set of biological records, samples of botanical specimens and tissues collected and entered into the collections of the Institute, and inputs from the workshop with the community on the use and exploitation that they currently give to the identified species.
  • Permit for Access to Genetic Resources granted by the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development for the taking of samples from the genomics process and their subsequent analysis.
  • First Genomics expedition developed to La Tribuna Ecoreserve, through which the planned samples were obtained and the samples are being analyzed in specialized laboratories.
  • International workshop on sampling and analysis of metabarcoding carried out.li>
  • Design of the pensum document for the virtual diploma in Biodiversity Conservation and Management.
  • Communications Strategy designed and being implemented through the microsite (16,718 visits), social networks (Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter), printing of communications material, definition of formats, graphic pieces (156 pieces, 17 videos, literary fragments) , among others.
  • Great great of the Orinoquia.

Source: Ecopetrol vice presidency HSE

 

Agreement with ANDI

Ecopetrol SA is part of the initiative "Biodiversity and Development for Putumayo" led by ANDI, which seeks to contribute to the comprehensive management of the country's biodiversity, through collective work, investment and compensation schemes between companies, institutions and local groups, with a territorial development approach.

Main advances and achievements of the ANDI Agreement

Convenio ECP -  ANDI

 

  • An award was received from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Commission on Protected Areas (IUCN - WCPA), recognizing the initiative as a good practice in Latin America and the Caribbean, for integrating actors with a common territorial purpose and From there, increase the contribution of the private sector in the management of biodiversity.
  • The initiative joins the ANDI - SIB Colombia alliance for open data on biodiversity from the business sector, managing to link 23 companies and nearly 200,000 biological records for the country in 2020.
  • Holding of national and regional meetings around the contribution of the business sector in the conservation of wildlife, landscape connectivity and monitoring of biodiversity, which allowed reaching 385 attendees with the participation of 17 entities.
  • Promoting the formulation of the first investment and compensation portfolio in biodiversity for Putumayo for 1 million hectares, integrating Corpoamazonia, ANLA and the Amazon Vision Program.
  • In December 2020, a regional event was held within the framework of the International Film and Environment Festival - FICAMAZONIA, with an academic agenda around business strategies for conservation and sustainable use in Putumayo, Andes-Amazon Landscape, under a 100% virtual experience and digital, which allowed connecting about 1,067 attendees from various parts of the world, especially Colombia and Latin America through the 360 format, with local broadcasting in the municipality of Orito.

Source: Ecopetrol, Vice Presidency HSE

TNC agreement

Operations in areas of great value for biodiversity

As a result of the incorporation of biodiversity in the planning of projects and operations, Ecopetrol does not have operations in areas of great value for biodiversity in categories I to IV of IUCN protected areas or in areas declared World Heritage by UNESCO

In its direct operation, Ecopetrol has four (4) production facilities in two Regional Districts of Integrated Management (DRMI) located in the department of Santander. These DRMIs were declared between the years 2005 and 2006, after the start of the industry operations in the area, which took place in 1951. On average, the percentage of the area of operation in the zones of exclusion from the areas of management is 9.12%, with the highest values found in the DRMI San Silvestre in the municipality of Barrancabermeja.

Production operations within protected areas.

Regional District of Integrated Management - RDIM

Declaration Year

AP* area (km2)

(Km2)

Ecopetrol

project

Trade size (Km2)

Ecopetrol operation start year

Type of

Operation

Percentage of the operation within the AP (%)

Percentage of the operation in the PA's exclusion zones (%)strong>

San Silvestre

2006

699,63

CENTRO

771,105

1951

PRODUCCION

14,20

9,49

LA CIRA

189,37

PRODUCTION

20,97

10,36

LISAMA

158,125

PRODUCTION

42,40

22,44

LLANITO

110,953

PRODUCTION

7,82

3,15

Serranía de los Yariguíes

2005

4.189,51

CENTRO

771,105

1951

PRODUCTION

3,87

1,25

LISAMA

158,125

PRODUCTION

57,60

8,04

           

Average

24,47

9,12

*PA: Protected Area Source: Ecopetrol, Vice Presidency HSE

 

Significant impacts on biodiversity

The nature of the significant impacts on biodiversity that Ecopetrol made during 2020 is associated with the transformation of the habitat. A total of 359 ha were intervened and 1,657 m3 of forest use were intervened, these interventions are subject to environmental compensation through the implementation of conservation or restoration projects through the actions, modes, mechanisms, quantities and forms enabled in each environmental management instrument.

Main impacts

Nature of impacts Introduction of invasive species Species reduction Habitat transformation Changes in ecological processes Contamination Construction or use of transport infrastructure Affected species Extension of impacted areas (ha) Duration of impacts Reversibility or Irreversibility of Impacts
META
Permit for forest use and channel occupation for the construction of flow lines. NO NO YES NO NO NO FLORA 0,27 Over 5 years Reversible
Permit for forest use and maintenance of power lines. NO NO YES NO NO NO FLORA 2,53 Over 5 years Reversible
Unique forest harvesting permit for the electrical lines of the Castilla electrical reliability module. NO NO YES NO NO NO FLORA 0,01 Over 5 years Reversible
Nature of impacts Introduction of invasive species Species reduction Habitat transformation Changes in ecological processes Contamination Construction or use of transport infrastructure Affected species Extension of impacted areas (ha) Duration of impacts Reversibility or Irreversibility of Impacts
CATATUMBO
Drilling of Tibú’s Study Wells NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 1,73 Over 5 years Reversible
Línea de Transferencia de Gas Tramo 3 Campo Sardinata  NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 1,2 Mayor a 5 años Reversible
Periféricos Campo Río Zulia NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 0,9 Over 5 years Reversible
Tibú Project - Construcción Cluster de perforación T-42A NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 0,93 Over 5 years Reversible
Nature of impacts Introduction of invasive species Species reduction Habitat transformation Changes in ecological processes Contamination Construction or use of transport infrastructure Affected species Extension of impacted areas (ha) Duration of impacts Reversibility or Irreversibility of Impacts
CENTRAL
Naphtha exploratory drilling area NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 6,8 Over 5 years Reversible
Cantagallo-Well Flamencos exploratory drilling area NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 2,24 Over 5 years Reversible
Proyecto DLP-Llanito-cambio uso del suelo PMAI Mares NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 14,38 Mayor a 5 años Reversible
La Cira Infantas project-land use change PMAI Mares NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 282,84 Over 5 years Reversible
Proyecto Casabe-Peñas Blancas-cambio uso del suelo PMA Casabe-Peñas Blancas NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 3,44 Over 5 years Reversible
Yarigui-Cantagallo Project- land use change PMA Yarigui-Cantagallo NO NO SI NO NO SI FLORA 13,61 Mayor a 5 años Reversible
Proyecto Tisquirama-San Roque, Bonanza y Provincia -  cambio uso del suelo PMAI Provincia NO NO SI NO NO SI FLORA 27,85 Mayor a 5 años Reversible
Proyecto Casabe-Peñas Blancas-aprovechamiento forestal  NO NO SI NO NO SI FLORA 206,884m³ Mayor a 5 años Reversible
Proyecto DLP-Llanito-aprovechamiento forestal  NO NO SI NO NO SI FLORA 504,184 m³ Mayor a 5 años Reversible
Proyecto la Cira Infantas-aprovechamiento forestal  NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 874,748 m³ Over 5 years Reversible
Tisquirama-San Roque-forest use project   NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 7,629 m³  Over 5 years Reversible
Tisquirama-San Roque-forest use project NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 64,264 m³  Over 5 years Reversible
Nature of impacts Introduction of invasive species Species reduction Habitat transformation Changes in ecological processes Contamination Construction or use of transport infrastructure Affected species Extension of impacted areas (ha) Duration of impacts Reversibility or Irreversibility of Impacts
SUR
Use of gas from the GDH (Cebu to DK's Battery) NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 0,1 Over 5 years Reversible
Aprovechamiento de árboles aislados Baterías GDH NO NO YES NO NO YES FLORA 0,1 Over 5 years Reversible
Nature of impacts Introduction of invasive species Species reduction Habitat transformation Changes in ecological processes Contamination Construction or use of transport infrastructure Affected species Extension of impacted areas (ha) Duration of impacts Reversibility or Irreversibility of Impacts
ORIENT
Rubiales production camp NO NO NO NO SI NO NO 0,1638 Less than 1 year Reversible

Source: Ecopetrol, Vice presidency HSE

 

Spill contingencies.

By 2020, 6.8 km of water bodies were affected, 0.1365 km2 of land, all these impacts are reversible. Ecopetrol in each of the reported cases, activated the emergency and contingency plan which is filed with ANLA, implementing the incident command system, and following the procedures and protocols established for the care of environmental emergencies.

Environmental Incidents

Contamination

Affected Resources

Affected species

Reversibility or Irreversibility of Impacts

Water (km)

Suelo (km2)

Environmental Incidents Orinoquia

Naphtha Leak Incident by 6 ”line leading from cluster 21 to cluster 15

SI

0,8

0,000518

FLORA Y FAUNA

Reversible

Incident due to loss of containment in the form of a spray at TEA-ECH.

SI

 

0,11

FLORA

Reversible

Naphtha leakage fluid leak in the 8 ”line of interconnection A southern zone of the Chichimene field.

SI

2,5

0,000502

FLORA Y FAUNA

Reversible

Incident due to a gasoline leak in an 8-inch line that leads from cluster 5 to cluster 38 - Chichimene field

SI

3,2

0,00045

FLORA Y FAUNA

Reversible

Naphtha spill incident from the Apiay-Chichimene naphtaduct line Chichimene field

SI

0,305

0,025

FLORA Y FAUNA

Reversible

Hydrocarbon spill due to leak in seal packing in tank car in transfer activity with Frac Tank.

SI

 

0,000052

FLORA

Reversible

 

Total

6,8

0,1365

 

 

 

Habitats protected or restored

The methodology implemented for the restoration of habitats corresponds to the establishment of protective reforestation in areas of protection of water sources located in the area of direct influence of the projects, in order to compensate for changes in land use and atmospheric emissions of the operation.

Additionally, Ecopetrol and its business group have publicly declared their commitment to the conservation of strategic ecosystems in the country from the generation of a network of Ecoreserves, which began with La Tribuna in the department of Huila 26 years ago ( https://nuevoportal.ecopetrol.com.co/latribuna ) and that since 2020 add up to five additional areas in the departments of Santander, Meta and Casanare. The Ecoreservas Network is proposed as a complementary conservation strategy to those already established by the State, understanding Ecoreserva as: A geographically delimited area, owned by Ecopetrol, which is voluntarily destined in part or completely to the conservation of biodiversity and the offer of ecosystem services, without limiting its productive and exploratory vocation.

Finally, Ecopetrol joined the National Government's #SembrarNosUne initiative that seeks to restore degraded ecosystems from the planting of 180 million trees throughout the Colombian territory. The Business Group, committed to the planting and delivery of 6 million trees between 2018 and 2022 (https://idm.presidencia.gov.co/prensa/ecopetrol-y-epm-sembraran-18-millones-de-arboles-en-el-proposito-nacional-201112; https://www.larepublica.co/economia/ecopetrol-se-une-a-la-iniciativa-del-gobierno-sembrar-nos-une-con-seis-millones-de-arboles-3072953). 

Progress in the recovery of the Lisama Well 158 contingency

In order to continue with the recovery of the Lisama 158 Well contingency that took place in 2018, properties for an area of 4.13 hectares were acquired, which are intended to contribute to the process of environmental recovery of the affected area.

For the implementation of the activities corresponding to the process of achieving the areas for the rehabilitation of riparian vegetation and flood plains associated with bodies of water & nbsp; From the Lisama stream, La Muerte channel and its contributors, activities are carried out focused on the formalization of voluntary conservation agreements with private owners.

guía rápida

Contingency recovery actions Lisama Well 158

Habitats protected

or restored

Protected / Restored Area

Size

Location

Protection / restoration scheme

Status as of the reporting date

Restoration measure success approved by third part

Campo Lisama -

contingency Lisama158

(Water Corridor)

Recuperation

103

Barrancabermeja, Santander

Conservation agreements

Execution

In execution

Campo Lisama -

contingency Lisama158

Compensation

0.0317

Predio Santo Tomás II, Barrancabermeja, Santander

Property acquisition

Closed

Does not apply

Campo Lisama -

contingencia Lisama158 (Zona uno)

Recuperation

4,01

Predio Santo Tomás II Barrancabermeja, Santander

Property acquisition

Execution

Execution

Campo Lisama -

contingency Lisama158 (Zona Cero)

Recuperation

0,12

Predio Santo Tomás II, Barrancabermeja, Santander

Property acquisition

Execution

In execution

Source: Ecopetrol, Environmental Management and Relationship

 

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