Dec 15, 2023
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN, 2016), SbN is an umbrella concept that includes all actions of protection, restoration and sustainable management of natural or modified ecosystems, which simultaneously provide benefits to human well-being and biodiversity, to respond to the most pressing socio-environmental challenges, such as food security, water security, climate change, disaster risk, biodiversity loss, human health, among others.
The nature-based solutions axis seeks to protect Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in strategic areas, as well as improve the livelihoods of local communities. The main lines of action of this axis are: Ecoreservas, Natural Climate Solutions and Tree Planting.
The *Ecoreserves Network was born from the alliance between the Alexander von Humboldt (I. Humbolt) Biological Resources Research Institute (FIBRAS Agreement) and Ecopetrol, as a voluntary conservation mechanism based on area, which through the preliminary analysis of properties owned by the Ecopetrol Group companies, proposed the designation of areas for the protection of strategic ecosystems.
Currently there are 15 Ecoreserves designated; approximately 15,085 hectares are designated for conservation and the goal is to have 50 Ecoreserves by 2030. The Ecoreserve Network is present throughout the country and provides demonstration areas where the productive operations of the sector coexist harmoniously with nature. Of the 15 designated Ecoreserves, currently Ecopetrol S.A. has ten (10), Cenit Transporte y Logística de Hidrocarburos S.A.S. has four (4) and Oleoducto Bicentenario de Colombia S.A.S. has one (1).
Ecopetrol's designated Ecoreserves in collaboration with the Alexander von Humboldt Institute.
We have the first six (6) **Biodiversity and Strengthening Plans, which will allow us to carry out activities aimed at improving the supply of ecosystem services and Biodiversity.
*Ecoreserve: "A geographically delimited area, owned by the companies of the EG, which is voluntarily destined in part or completely to the conservation of biodiversity and the supply of ecosystem services, without limiting its productive and exploratory vocation".
**Biodiversity and Strengthening Plans: these are a planning instrument that guides the management of each of these areas to achieve specific conservation results.
There are five (5) types of Ecoreserves that determine the way in which they relate to the activities of the Ecopetrol Group, described in the following image:
Six of the first 15 Ecoreserves designated until 2021 have Biodiversity and Strengthening Plans developed through the FIBRAS Agreement (Instituto Alexander von Humboldt).
Likewise, these six Ecoreserves have a images and sounds catalog, taken from the registry of fauna and flora. Below, you can learn more about the characteristics and species of each Ecoreserve:
La Tribuna Ecoreserve · Huila, San Francisco
El Tucán Ecoreserve · Casanare, Cupiagua
Learn about and listen to the species found in this ecoreserve: El Tucán Ecoreserve images and sounds catalog.
View the Biodiversity and Strengthening Plan for the El Tucán Ecoreserve.
La Doncella Ecoreserve · Bolívar, Isla IV
Learn about and listen to the species found in this ecoreserve: La Doncella Ecoreserve images and sounds catalog.
Centenario La Pácora Ecoreserve · Santander, Refinería
Learn about and listen to the species found in this ecoreserve: Centenario La Pácora Ecoreserve images and sounds catalog.
La Danta Ecoreserve · Meta, Rubiales
Learn about and listen to the species found in this ecoreserve: La Danta Ecoreserve images and sounds catalog.
ASA La Guarupaya Ecoreserve · Meta, Castilla
Learn about and listen to the species found in this ecoreserve: ASA La Guarupaya Ecoreserve images y sounds catalog.
In 2022, Red Colombia of the United Nations Global Compact and the Bogota Chamber of Commerce awarded recognition for good sustainable development practices to the Ecopetrol Group's Ecoreserves Network initiative, for its contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 15.
“This recognition is an additional motivation to continue working on the implementation of practices that respond to the environmental and social challenges we face today as a society. The Ecoreservas initiative, in addition to being a pioneer in the industry at national and international level, has great potential to conserve our biological wealth and generate well-being for the surrounding communities".
- Santiago Martínez, Head of Sustainability and Decarbonization, Ecopetrol.
The NbS Platform is a tool developed by TNC and Ecopetrol to strengthen the environmental management capacities of multiple institutional actors, both in the public and the private sector. It seeks to facilitate access to information and contribute to the preparation, formulation, planning, implementation and monitoring of projects that positively impact comprehensive metrics associated with water security, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
We hope that planners, environmental authorities, project formulators, academia, consultants and private investors will benefit from the contents of the Platform for the construction of NbS projects. The platform has three main services:
Check the Nature Based Solutions Platform.
The Business Group joined the initiative - 1t.org - whose objective is to mobilize, connect and empower the global reforestation community to conserve, restore and cultivate one billion trees by 2030.
Find more about Ecopetrol's commitment.
The Ecopetrol Group joined this movement of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, which seeks to generate an epic milestone in the history of the world by protecting, conserving and ecologically restoring our country through the planting of 500 million trees by the year 2030, with strategies that allow the rebirth of our soils and ecosystems Respira 2030.
The Ecopetrol Group's goal was to plant 6 million trees in the period 2018-2022 and 12 million trees accumulated by 2030. At the end of 2022, the Ecopetrol Group internally recorded a total of 6'509,368 trees planted, delivered, and supported in conjunction with its partners. See table with records in the Our ambition section.
** The report of information to the Respira 2030 program of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development is made individually by each of the companies of the Ecopetrol Group, without taking into account the trees that some allies upload directly to the counter of the Respira 2030 platform. For this reason, the total number of trees registered internally by the Ecopetrol Group exceeds the data reflected on the Respira 2030 web page. For more information about this government program go to: https://www.respira2030.gov.co/
Natural Climate Solutions correspond to actions that avoid greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon storage in forests, grasslands and wetlands. Some of these solutions include forest conservation, restoration, and management. Restoration not only returns forests in a healthy state, but also increases the amount of sequestered carbon, improves biodiversity, soil and water quality in the ecosystem, and brings economic benefits to the communities that depend on that forest. World Economic Forum, 2021.
The Greenhouse Gas offset portfolio is based on the Natural Climate Solutions prioritized for Ecopetrol’s Bussiness Group, with the greatest potential to reduce emissions and carbon quantification methodologies endorsed by certification programs. In case new methodologies are developed, these solutions can and will be incorporated into the portfolio.
Ecopetrol and The Nature Conservacy (TNC) structured the SNC portfolio with the purpose of recognizing projects with high potential for mitigation and compensation, to support Ecopetrol's Decarbonization Plan. The selection criteria for projects that are part of the SNC portfolio are:
1. The most cost-effective CNS pathways prioritized for Colombia by TNC | ||||||||
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2. Potential mitigation validation by forest type Deforestation avoided (REDD+) | ||||||||
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3. Planting trees on agricultural land (silvopastoral and agroforestry) | ||||||||
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Additionally, other aspects are considered, such as:
Location in areas of strategic interest.
Social and environmental cost-benefits.
Developers with extensive experience, knowledge, technical and financial execution capacity.
Risk management associated with the implementation of the type of initiatives, technical, financial, and legal execution.
Ecopetrol employs different actions to enable the supply of NCS projects, which include: methodologies, protocols, baselines, early investment in Natural Climate Solutions projects.
The information described below corresponds to estimates based on secondary information. With the implementation of the projects, the data corresponding to direct data collection in the territory will be updated.
For more information see the section: Strategic Partners.
REDD+ MAGDALENA VALLEY
WILDLIFE PROJECT · PVS
ORINOCO CARBON
TNC CARBON SURVEY PROTOCOL
CARBON AND WETLANDS
BLUE AND GREEN CARBON BIOGEOGRAPHICAL CHOCÓ
SOUTH POLE
INSTITUTO COLOMBIANO DEL PETRÓLEO · ICP
Natural Climate Solutions projects generate social and environmental benefits for territories towards a just energy transition, some of them are:
Contribute to climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Empower and strengthen communities, generate income and local and regional sustainable development alternatives.
Promote the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Promote the diversification of local economies.
Improve the water and food security of the communities involved.
Enable the implementation of community monitoring and provide valuable information on biodiversity.
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