Safeguarding of land and biodiversity

Areas connected to conservation and the promotion of biodiversity have an increasingly important role in the environmental agenda of leading international institutions. These are set out in the UN Sus- tainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) and, in turn, with fo- cus of the European Green Deal, concentrating on the main causes of this loss of biodiversity, including methods of land use and water basins, excessive exploitation of natural resources and pollution. The European Union, which in 2020 published EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 (COM (2020) 380 final), is focused on defining binding targets to restore ecosystems that have been damaged, improve the health of habitats and species under protection, reduce pollu- tion and re-green urban areas. Furthermore, Regulation 852/2020 (Taxonomy) includes the “protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems” among the six environmental goals with which it is structured (see also Disclosing sustainability: methodological note).

Acea Group Companies conduct activities that could potentially have impacts on biodiversity, such as processing waste, operation of power generation plants, management of water sources and treatment plants and the distribution of electricity. On this basis, Acea focuses closely on safeguarding the ecosystems in areas where it operates, as defined in the procedures of the Environmental Management Systems, which pursue continuous improvement with a view to reducing environmental impacts, in the context of assessments for the planning and creation of plants, as well as management of operational areas. The Companies manage processes in compliance with the environmental authorisations issued to each plant. The environmental provisions contained in the authorisations issued by the competent administrative authority are established on the basis of technical and environmental assessments considering the area surrounding each plant, to safeguard the flora and fauna present and protect the natural environment.

Specifically, the activities involved in the Integrated Water Service are aimed at the maintenance of optimal environmental conditions and sites where water is drawn, near to springs, are managed with attention to the conservation of existing ecosystems and the preservation of the water flow.

Likewise, with treatment activities, the primary goal is that discharges, after appropriate treatment, comply with the limits es- tablished by regulations in the sector and are therefore compatible with the natural habitats of the receiving bodies of water. In implementation of this commitment, targets have been established for improved treatment efficiency for certain Water Companies (see the paragraph Strategy and sustainability, The 2020-2024 Sustainability Plan and operational goals).

For hydroelectric power stations, Acea Produzione manages withdrawals and inputs of water in compliance with the Concessions is- sued by the competent authorities and with applicable regulations. Management Projects have been prepared for all reservoirs (pursuant to Italian Decree of the Ministry for the Environment of 30 June 2004), with relevant impact studies for those in protected areas. The company provides for the protection of the habitats of all species present in order to mitigate the effect of the artificial barrier of the dams, which interferes with the natural migration of fish and the gradual sedimentation of the riverbed, with consequent changes in the native flora of the banks. In addition, protection of the aforementioned basins ensures the living conditions of the “resident” and “migratory” birds, which use these sites for reproduction/ feeding even during migration.

Other plants in the energy segment, active in the generation of electricity using fossil fuels and waste-to-energy, are incompatible with protected areas and therefore do not fall within them.

Acea has identified those of its sites/plants located in areas with a high level of biodiversity or Protected Natural Areas (EUAP) rec- ognised nationally and sites of the Natura 2000 Network (SCIs, SCZs and SPAs) 117 established at European level, through mapping of the infrastructure of the main operating companies (Acea Ato 2, Acea Ato 5, GORI, Gesesa, AdF, Acea Ambiente, Acea Pro- duzione and Areti)118. Analysis conducted on over 23,000 sites/ plants, including pylons but excluding underground electricity grids and pipelines, has shown that 2,290 sites, corresponding to approximately 10%, represent potential interference with the system of protected areas. Plants of the Environment Segment, carrying out waste-processing activity, are not located in protected areas.

Considering, instead, only the sites which could have a more significant impact on biodiversity, the number drops to 1,145 and the total percentage to 5%.

Significant impacts have been estimated taking into consideration the design, implementation and management phases of plants, and therefore exclude sites/plants with minimal impacts, such as the Water Kiosks of Acea Ato 2, the secondary substations of Areti and the photovoltaic plants included considered as residential plants of Acea Produzione.

The analyses conducted on the overhead electricity distribution network (1,472 km analysed) showed interference with protected areas for approximately 27%, corresponding to 404 km of network. The total number of natural areas intersected by sites/plants/ networks with a significant impact total 130 (55 EUAP Protected Natural Areas, 61 Sites of Community Interest (SCIs)/Spe- cial Conservation Zones (SCZs) and 14 Special Protection Areas (SPAs)119 for a total area of 223.4 hectares.

Chart no. 49 – Acea sites/plants analysed, with potential impacts on biodiversity and protected areas intersected

NOTE: where SCIs/SCZs and SPAs coincide, they are only considered once under SCIs/SCZs.

In the areas affected, there are many animal and plant species, including some on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species (in the categories “vulnerable”, “endangered” and “critically endangered”)120, i.e. at risk of extinction in the short or medium term. These species there- fore represent a conservation priority.

A total of 45 species are potentially affected. Specifically, there are 3 plant species (1 critically endangered and 2 endangered) and 42 animal species, of which 7 are critically endangered, 9 are en- dangered and 26 are considered vulnerable (see Chart no. 50 for details).

Chart no. 50 – Number of species listed in the IUCN Red List with habitat in the protected areas intersected

In 2021, Acea carried out further detailed analysis of potential impacts on biodiversity, with the aim of identifying “priority” areas with high levels of biodiversity in which sites/plants/networks of Group Companies are located, i.e. the most fragile habitats or those most greatly impacted by external factors. For this purpose, data for the protected areas intersected was supplemented with in- formation provided by the Carta della Natura, a national IT system created by ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research), which is a cartographic and evaluation tool used to identify the distribution of Italian ecosystems across the country and analyse them based on their current state, considering physical, biotic and human factors.

Based on this information, it was possible to internally prepare an Environmental fragility index (EFI), aimed at evaluating the differ- ent habitats present and the portion of land occupied, the fragility of the habitat and the type of sites/plants present, for each protected area intersected by the activities of the main Group Companies121. This enables identification of areas with high levels of biodiversity, to be considered as priority areas, due to their greater "vulnerabil- ity". In detail, there are 12 of these areas: in eight of these — Par- co regionale dei Monti Lattari, Dorsale dei Monti Lattari, Piana di S. Vittorino - Sorgenti del Peschiera, Riserva naturale Valle dell’Aniene, Fiume Farfa (medium-high course), Parco regionale Bacino Fiume Sarno, Monte Mai e Monte Monna, Riserva naturale Litorale romano  — sites/plants have potential impacts, on four there may be interfer- ence from electricity distribution networks (Parco Regionale urbano Pineto, Castel Porziano — fascia costiera, Castel Porziano Tenuta presidenziale, Riserva naturale dell’Insugherata).

Awareness of potential interference enables optimisation of opera- tions and the Companies have planned and/or implemented various actions to safeguard biodiversity, some in “priority” areas with a high level of biodiversity, as summarised in the info box.

The initiatives launched by the Companies also involved other others, again of particular natural interest, although not classified as “priority” areas.

In order to limit the potential impacts of overhead infrastructure for the distribution of HV and MV electricity on birds, Areti employs risk mitigation initiatives in collaboration with the relevant authorities, making use of the best technological solutions for problems that are likely to occur in sensitive areas or areas of particular naturalistic value. Specifically, in compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding for restructuring of the electricity grid, works continue for the decommissioning and demolition of overhead power lines within important areas subject to protection, including Parco di Veio, Riserva Naturale della Marcigliana and, south of Rome, Riserva Naturale Decima Malafede and Riserva Naturale del Litorale romano. For details of the works performed in 2021, see the section Energy distribution in the chapter Energy Segment. Furthermore, Areti and the Park Authority of Parco naturale di Veio signed a pledge of commitment with which the Company guarantees finan- cial and operational support to launch a plan for the monitoring of birdlife with installation of bird-deterrent devices on earth cables of overhead lines, composed of plastic spirals that make the cables more visible, significantly reducing the risk of bird collision. Areti's commitment included the printing of two illustrated volumes providing information on nesting and wintering birds, a study on fatal- ity rates of birdlife along high-voltage and medium-voltage power lines, updating and reprinting of the tourist map of the Veio Park with addition of the paths of power lines involved in the work.

For a number of years, on the SCI/SCZ sites of Villa Borghese and Villa Pamphili, Acea Ato 2 has also been monitoring the presence of Peregrine Falcons in part of the Acqua Vergine springs area, a species which despite preferring open, wild areas, can nest in artificial structures, such as towers and bell towers in heavily built-up areas. Every year a large community including scholars, ornithologists and simple enthusiasts follows the lives of the Peregrine Falcons who live among the Acqua Vergine springs, thanks to a webcam managed by Ornis Italica, an association of researchers promoting the Birdcam. it project, which broadcasts images of a nest situated on Acea in- frastructure (www.birdcam.it). 2021 saw an excellent breeding result for the nest on the piezometer of the Salone water centre, with the hatching and growth of three peregrine falcons. The Company also has operations in the Castelli Romani area, where the Parco regionale dei Castelli Romani, is located. This regional park is characterised by its volcanic nature, which influences the chemical and physical properties of the water, and by limited water resources and a prevalence of wells. Here, in collaboration with the Municipality of Rocca Priora and the Park Authority, the Company has established a project, currently under analysis and evaluation by local authorities, for redevelopment and restoration of the Pantano della Doganella marsh, which has dried up over time, with the aim of recreating the conditions for natural filling of the basin with precipitation.

In the context of the project for development of the Water Safety Plan for the water systems fed by the waters of the Santa Fiora springs (see also the sub-section Water Safety Plans), AdF launched a scientific partnership agreement with the Institute of Geoscience and Georesources of the CNR (National Research Council) of Pisa, also aimed at assessing the vulnerability of the aquifer as a scientific knowledge base for definition of appropriate protec- tion areas by the competent Authorities. In addition, in 2021 the Company supported local authorities and associations for projects to protect local flora and fauna, combating the effects of climate change, habitat loss and/or the loss of specific pollinators. These include support for the Research Centre into Biotechnical Tools in the Farming and Forestry Sectors (CRISBA) for the conservation of local flora (dunal plants and wild orchids) and the Posidonia As- sociation for the development of a protocol for the proper conser- vation of the species, currently under series threat of extinction.

In 2020, as a tool to monitor ecosystem quality in areas where its plants are located, at the San Vittore del Lazio (Frosinone) waste-to-energy plant Acea Ambiente launched the project “UrBees”, in collaboration with bee-keeping experts and the Sacro Cuore Catholic University, aimed at environmental monitoring by observing the behaviour of bees, as bioindicator insects. Biomoni- toring is an innovative tool for environmental control that allows the effects of pollution to be identified, observing living organisms and their biological parameters through the study of ecological changes due to the effects of one or more polluting substances present in the biosphere.
Honeybees, in particular, are one of the best “sentinel species”. They support plant biodiversity and enable determination of quali- tative and quantitative data regarding the health or lack thereof of a specific ecosystem, along with mapping of an area’s biodiversity. The observations made have highlighted the overall good health of the bees and the absence of instances of unexpected illnesses or depopulation. Thanks to the busy flight of the bees, 2021 saw production of “39-flower honey”, in May, and “26-flower honey”, in June, from a blend of 39 and 26 botanical species, respective- ly122. The area of the plant which houses the beehives has also been re-greened with species of plants recommended for bee-keeping (oleanders, laurel and boxwood). Finally, at other Acea Ambiente sites, green areas are created with planting of native tree species aimed at reducing the visual impact of installations and increasing the variety of plant and animal species in surrounding areas.

MANAGEMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, SPRINGS
AND PROTECTED AREAS

Through the Companies Acea Ato 2, Acea Ato 5, GORI and Ge- sesa, the Group mainly uses springs located in uncontaminated areas for water supply.

The supply system of the area managed by Acea Ato 2 is composed of seven large aqueduct systems that transport water from 14 main sources to the distribution networks and from numerous smaller local sources (mainly wells), for a total flow that exceeds 21,000 litres/second. The drinking water distribution network extends for, more than 13,600 km123. In addition to this priceless natural resource, following upgrading works on the Grottarossa drinking water plant, Lake Bracciano, and the river Tiber also represent water reserves, after appropriate treatment, to be used only in the event of water emergencies.

In the Municipalities that fall within OTA 5 Lazio Meridionale - Frosinone, Acea Ato 5 manages 80 sources, 74 of which are active, with 39 wells/well fields and 35 springs. In addition to these sources, the Company purchases/sells water through exchange points with other operators and with a Municipality in a neighbouring area. From the sources, the water is transported to the Municipalities through a supply network, which follows a complex distribution net- work beginning with tanks and dividing elements before reaching all users served, and totalling 6,027 km.

Gesesa, which operates in district 1 “Calore Irpino” in the Campa- nia Region, for the supply of drinking water, manages approximately 2,060 km of network, springs, primarily seasonal, and collects the majority of the water utilizing groundwater wells. There are three large collection systems: the Benevento plain, constituted of two well fields Pezzapiana and Campomazzoni, a well located at the aquifers of Monte Taburno and a well located near to the Grassano spring.

AdF, which operates in Optimal Territorial Conference no. 6 “Om- brone” (ex OTA 6), manages the drinking water system through a network that stretches approximately 8,330 km. Almost 50% of the water is drawn from the Fiora springs located on the slopes of Monte Amiata, while in the Siena area, the most significant systems are the Luco well field and the Vivo aqueduct, which takes water from the three springs of Amiata Ermicciolo, Ente and Burlana, located in the Vivo d’Orcia area.

The water system managed by GORI in the Sarnese Vesuviano territorial district has three main subsystems: Vesuviano, Monti Lattari and Ausino. The Vesuviano System is the most extensive of the three and arises from the functional integration of the Sarno aqueduct and the Vesuviano aqueduct, in turn interconnected with external elements of the Campano aqueduct, the West Campania aqueduct and the Serino aqueduct. This is responsible for supplying the majority of the OTA 3 municipalities. The Monti Lattari System serves the territory of the Sorrento Peninsula, the Island of Capri, and the Stabiese plain. Finally, the Ausino System, represents the supply framework for the municipalities of the OTA that occupy the eastern edge of the territory. The water drawn from endogenic sources represents approximately one third of the total, while the remainder originates from systems outside the OTA.

 All of the Companies guarantee operation and correct maintenance of collection infrastructure, primary and secondary water plants, supply systems and distribution networks and user meters. Extraor- dinary maintenance is also performed (renovation, upgrading and/ or expansion of plants and networks).

Table no. 47 indicates the location and surface areas in square me- tres of the zones subject to absolute protection¹²⁴. It is noted that the sources illustrated are all drawn in “areas under water stress”, as defined at international level¹²⁵ by the World Bank Institute. The water drawn is freshwater¹²⁶, apart from 1.2% of the amount drawn by AdF, corresponding to approximately 0.8 million cubic metres, which is from marine sources. The amounts drawn by the Compa- nies from the springs listed are indicated in the Environmental Accounts.

To protect areas where springs are located, Acea Ato 2 also employs satellite monitoring. Surveillance is concentrated in the plac- es showing – on the basis of the comparison between two images taken from space at a distance of several months – an unjustified or suspect morphological variation, such as new, unsurveyed con- structions, earth movements, small landfills. The Company performs checks on site to identify any threats to water resources, ensuring precise monitoring. In fact, in 2021, thanks to the use of a satellite to perform change detection and additional inspections carried out along the supply and collection network, 65 violations were identified.

Table no. 47 – The main sources under protection

(*) The surface area data is estimated.

116 The Conference of the Parties in Nagoya in 2010 defined the Global Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and new targets, the 20 “Aichi Biodiversity Targets”, to be achieved by 2020. These targets aimed to highlight the causes underlying biodiversity loss, to reduce the pressure on biodiversity and promote sustainable development, to improve the status of biodiversity at all levels, to promote the benefits deriving from biodiversity and ecosystem services, and to support the development of expertise and capabilities to reduce biodiversity loss and to conserve resources in the period 2011-2020, through programmes of engagement.
117The Protected Natural Areas (EUAP) at national level are those areas recognised officially by the State pursuant to Framework Law 394/91. The Natura 2000 Network, established pursuant to “Habitat” Directive 92/43/EEC, is the main policy instrument of the European Union for the conservation of biodiversity. It is composed of Sites of Community Interest (SCIs) which are then designated as Special Conservation Zones (SCZs) and also includes the Special Protection Areas (SPAs) established by “Birds” Directive 2009/147/EC on the conservation of wild birds. The areas composing the Natura 2000 network are not reserves where human activities are excluded: the Directives intend to guarantee the protection of nature whilst also taking “account of economic, social and cultural requirements and regional and local characteristics”.
118 Areas were mapped using QGIS, an open-source GIS application that enables viewing, organisation, analysis and presentation of spatial data, processing each layer of the sites/plants belonging to the Companies.
119 Where SCIs/SCZs and SPAs coincide, the areas are counted once amongst SCIs/SCZs. The figure for areas intersected was revised compared to that published last year, after verification.
120There are 11 risk categories, from Extinct (EX), applied to species for which there is definitive evidence that the last individual example has died, and Extinct in the Wild (EW), assigned to species for which there are no longer natural populations but only individuals in captivity, through to the category Least Concern (LC), applied for species that are not at risk of extinction in the short or medium term. Between the categories of Extinct and Least Concern, there are the threatened categories, which identify species at progressive risk of extinction in the short or medium term: Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN) and Critically Endangered (CR).
121For preparation of the EFI, the initial step was calculation of the relationship between the area of each habitat and that of the protected area containing it, generating a value for the portion of the protected site occupied by each habitat. This value was then multiplied by the fragility of the habitat as defined by ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research). Following this, all of the environmental fragility values of the habitats present in each protected area were added together. Having defined the EFI for each protected area intersected, this information was then cross-referenced with the individual Group plants with significant impacts located in the protected areas (plants identified as sites with potential impacts, from “low-medium to “high”). Finally, to identify the “priority” areas with high levels of biodiversity, the IFA was multiplied by the area intersected by the plants. The higher the value for the index, the higher the “priority” of the area.
122A photo-report has been published on the project, available at the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-IPb6F0i4M
123The value is higher than that added in chart no. 54, which features a geo-referenced value.
124The areas of absolute protection are the areas immediately surrounding the catchments or off-springs, as defined in Legislative Decree no. 152/2006.
125https://www.wri.org/aqueduct
126Water with total dissolved solids ≤ 1,000 mg/l.