Impacts
Copel’s practices, actions and commitments reflect its focus on sustainable development and are aligned with strategic guidelines, mission, vision and corporate values.
Such practices are developed in the light of the Sustainability Policy, which extend to encouraging sustainable action also by suppliers and for the benefit of the community, whose relationship is based on transparency and legality.
The impacts of Copel’s activities are linked to the environmental, social and governance dimensions, which can be both positive and negative, and depend on studies carried out in prospecting for new businesses, in the implementation and operation of new ventures.
Thus, both in the implementation of new projects and in the operation of its projects, the Company follows the premises of the mitigation hierarchy, seeking to:
- Avoid the generation of negative impacts, whenever possible;
- Reduce or minimize negative impacts that cannot be avoided;
- Recover, restore or develop corrective measures to the negative impacts caused;
Compensate or mitigate negative impacts and enhance the positive impacts caused.
During project studies, different construction or route possibilities are always analyzed, considering for each alternative the pros and cons in several aspects, among them, the socio-environmental one. It is not always possible to opt for an alternative that does not cause any social and environmental impact, but studying this possibility and seeking the one that has the least impact on these aspects is a premise that is already part of our processes.
Where impacts on biodiversity become unavoidable, measures are taken to reduce or minimize them as much as possible.
When an environmental impact becomes a reality, specific actions are planned to recover, restore or correct the affected area or element in the best possible way.
The last instance of the mitigation hierarchy provides for the development of actions to compensate or mitigate impacts that could not be avoided. It is important to emphasize that whenever a potential impact is identified and cannot be avoided, reduction, correction and compensation measures must be foreseen, that is, efforts must be made in all instances to remedy possible environmental damage in the best possible way.
Environmental Dimension
The impacts are detailed in the environmental studies carried out in accordance with regulatory requirements and the results of which support the development of actions not only for mitigation, but for preservation or recovery, which condition the licensing process.
The main environmental impacts identified in the projects for the implementation of projects are related to land use, changes in biodiversity, changes in water availability, among others.
To mitigate the impacts, Copel monitors and carries out flora and fauna rescue; acts in the preservation and recovery of Permanent Preservation Areas (APPs); forest replacement; in the monitoring and archaeological rescue, among other actions.
The initiatives are mostly carried out in the implementation phase of the project, and may have consequences in the operation phase.
Once in operation, the impacts are of a different class, such as the generation of waste, the quality of air and water in the reservoirs and the emission of noise.
In order to reduce, mitigate and compensate for the impacts caused by the installations, Copel maintains a series of environmental programs aimed at identifying and monitoring the interferences of the Company’s processes, as well as of its suppliers and partners.
Examples of the mitigation hierarchy in the environmental dimension
During the construction of the 230KV Bateias-Jaguariaíva Transmission Line, for example, the route initially planned for the line was changed to divert a population of southern muriquis, also known as mono-carvoeiros, which inhabited the region and were observed during field campaigns for the project’s environmental studies. Monitoring actions for this species in the region are still carried out today by Copel.
Among the actions taken to reduce impacts on fauna, for example, is the scaring and rescue of animals before and during the suppression of vegetation or filling of reservoirs. Rescue actions are also carried out to safeguard ichthyofauna during the construction and operation of hydroelectric plants. These are just a few examples, and it is important to note that for each project or undertaking, the most effective and relevant measures to reduce or minimize impacts on biodiversity are evaluated.
Among the impact correction measures developed by Copel in its projects, we can highlight as examples the actions of reproduction and repopulation of fish, recovery of degraded areas and forest recomposition.
Among the measures of compensation or mitigation of impacts that Copel develops, we can mention forestry compensations, whose main objective is to mitigate the vegetation suppressed during the installation and operation of projects.
It is worth noting that many times the actions developed to compensate, recover or minimize environmental impacts can also generate positive environmental gains, such as the establishment of recovered and preserved forest areas where there was previously pasture and the contribution to the scientific environment through data from the various monitoring frequently carried out by the Company (water quality, ichthyofauna, terrestrial fauna, among others).
Social Dimension
Copel, in the development of its activities, seeks to mitigate the negative impacts arising from operations and enhance the positive impacts, building alternatives together with the community and the public authorities to act in situations of social relevance and boost development in a responsible manner.
The implementation of new ventures generates jobs and revenues for the municipalities, as well as local development. However, situations that need mitigation or compensation are identified through social programs described in the basic environmental plans, in simplified environmental reports and in the reports detailing the environmental programs of each enterprise.
In addition to mandatory social programs in the context of environmental licensing, Copel develops other actions aimed at communities within the scope of corporate sustainability and in a corporate manner.
The continuous communication of the results obtained with the actions and programs for mitigating impacts allows the establishment of action strategies, identification of opportunities and the proposition of improvements.
Governance Dimension
The recognition of the quality of corporate governance adopted by Copel demonstrates that its guidelines are consolidated at a high level of performance and foundation. The main positive impact of corporate governance for Copel is the solidity of its structure, which provides reliability for stakeholders and security for shareholders.
The most sensitive impacts on the governance dimension are those related to senior management decision making and strategic planning, which can result in substantial loss of economic value, as well as those arising from fraud and corruption, which can cause financial losses, fines , sanctions and penalties by inspection bodies, with a consequent deterioration of the Company’s image.
The initiatives are mostly carried out in the implementation phase of the project, and may have consequences in the operation phase.
Once in operation, the impacts are of a different class, such as the generation of waste, the quality of air and water in the reservoirs and the emission of noise.
In order to reduce, mitigate and compensate for the impacts caused by the installations, Copel maintains a series of environmental programs aimed at identifying and monitoring the interferences of the Company’s processes, as well as of its suppliers and partners.
