Care for the environment and biodiversity at Eni

Eni's commitment to the environment and biodiversity is a cornerstone of our mission. We are committed to pursuing an energy transition that is fair to society and protects the planet.

Our commitment to the planet

Fighting climate change; Producing and providing sustainable energy for all; Twinning it with sustainable models of consumption; Encouraging sustainable use of the world's ecosystem.
These are just some of the goals that 150 world leaders agreed at the UN in 2015, when they signed the 2030 Agenda including the Sustainable Development Goals. They are the same goals we have embraced as a global energy company and champion to guide our actions, thoughts and investments.
In compliance with national and international agreements and standards – and national regulations and policies – we have based our actions on the principles of sustainability and circularity, and with an increasing focus on investing in renewable and low-impact sources with the target of zero emissions by 2050. The way we manage the air, land and biodiversity is based on criteria of prevention, protection, information and participation.

Environmental culture

Precaution, protection, information and participation are just some of the essential components in the way Eni understands and operates to ensure environmental protection. From the efficient use of natural resources to waste management and the protection of protected areas that are important for biodiversity and ecosystems, we see environmental culture as an important resource in every sector.

In 2021, as in previous years, we undertook several initiatives to raise awareness among both internal and external personnel on the proper management of environmental aspects. 2,000 people from Eni took part in the "Together for the Environment" training course, while a further 300 people received training in environmental risk management. Eni's new integrated, company-wide risk assessment methodology was also presented through webinars in Italy and abroad. Also in 2021, to promote best practices among employees and suppliers, the Environmental Golden Rules were first issued and then promoted among all personnel working at Eni and with our suppliers.

Our commitment to spreading an environmental culture was also reflected in the signing of 15 Pacts for the environment and safety during the year and in the involvement of several suppliers who committed to tangible improvement actions that can be measured with the Safety and Environment Performance Index.

Eni's activities to safeguard biodiversity

Eni is constantly working to safeguard biodiversity, one of the United Nations' sustainable development goals. Goal 14 on life below water, aims to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Goal 15, on the other hand, deals with life on land and aims to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of the planet's ecosystem by sustainably managing forests, combatting desertification, halting and reversing land degradation and halting biodiversity loss.

Eni adheres to the principles of the “Together with Nature” pact for the protection of the planet, pledging not only to recognize the close link between climate change and biodiversity loss, but also to minimize risks and maximize efforts to protect and conserve existing ecosystems through the application of nature-based solutions based on strict ecological principles.

A special report on Eni’s approach to biodiversity

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The regulatory framework and our policies, scientific definitions and projects in the field.

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What is the “mitigation hierarchy” and why is it important?

The mitigation hierarchy is the tool we use to mitigate the potential impact of our activity on the natural environment. The mitigation structure sets out a preferential sequence of actions. At the top are preventive rather than corrective measures for potential impact. Where it is not possible to avoid this impact, our actions aim to reduce it to a minimum or get rid of its effects. If serious environmental impact remains, it is compensated for – more stringently if its value of biodiversity is high (for example critical and natural habitats) – so as to avoid as much as possible a net loss of biodiversity, or to guarantee a net positive impact.

Our commitment to Unesco World Heritage Sites

Eni does not explore for or develop hydrocarbons within the boundaries of natural sites on the Unesco World Heritage List (as specified at 31 May 2019). When we carry out exploration, development or production work in key areas for biodiversity, we are committed to preserving biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES), which is why we adopted a management model in line with our BES policy. In joint ventures where we are not operators, we are committed to developing and adopting good management practices in line with our BES policy, alongside our partners.

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Integrated management of health, safety and the environment

We use the most advanced technologies and technical standards for health, safety and the environment (HSE) in all of our work. We invest in research and technical innovation to create products and processes that are as compatible as possible with HSE goals, and pursue collaborations for developing new technologies. HSE management is governed by an integrated model that clearly defines roles and responsibilities at the various organisational levels, governs HSE activities and how they interact with company processes, and provides common methods and criteria. The coordination of HSE topics is carried out by the HSE Coordination Committee, overseen by Eni’s head of HSE and made up of heads of HSE functions at different units.

With regard to the environmental management systems certified according to ISO 14001, approximately 90 certifications, third-party audits are carried out at the certified company sites on an annual basis (annual surveillance audits), and every three years for the renewal of the certificate, in accordance with the standard's provisions.

Eni's positioning with regards to Green Sourcing

In accordance with the principles set out in Eni's Mission, Code of Ethics and Sustainability Policy, the Company has developed a long-term integrated strategy that reconciles financial soundness with social and environmental Sustainability. Likewise, Eni acts in compliance with an operating model that prevents and reduces risks as well as social and environmental impacts associated with its core business. Eni is aware of the importance of mitigating the environmental impact of its activities, including through the application of solutions with lower environmental impact, in order to make an active contribution to sustainable development both locally and globally. In this context, aware that the purchase of goods and services can be a strategic opportunity to spread and share its principles with the market, Eni will also work jointly with its Supply Chain to drive and encourage the adoption of Green Sourcing principles in order to reach the goals of the optimization of:

Energy use
Use of natural resources
Land management (reduction, contamination and impoverishment)
Emissions in the atmosphere
Water resources consumption and management
Waste reduction and recycling (circular economy).

This programme will be implemented through both specific internal operating guidelines aimed at managing the requirements of “energy-intensive” goods, and through the launch of an awareness-raising campaign for vendors in these areas so that they in turn integrate the principles of Green Sourcing in their own operating and procurement models.

An efficient use of water

In 2021, with a view to sustainable water management, initiatives were implemented at Eni sites to reduce freshwater withdrawals and replace them (in both residential and industrial uses) with water from secondary sources, such as rainwater or reclaimed groundwater.

In addition to these initiatives, the development of projects in the Upstream sector continues, both for the re-injection of wastewater and its treatment and re-use for industrial purposes. The ultimate goal is to reduce the impacts on local communities and ecosystems, especially in water stress areas.

In particular, desalination plants have been installed or upgraded in Egypt, and projects are underway for the re-injection and exploitation for IOR6 purposes of wastewater in Egypt and Angola. In addition, a water resilience study was completed at the Ravenna industrial park for the optimization of the industrial water cycle.

After the CEO Water Mandate in 2019, the water used at all Upstream sites has been mapped and actions to optimize its use have been identified. Finally, in accordance with its transparency principles, in 2021 Eni again publicly answered the CDP Water Security questionnaire, maintaining the A- score it had obtained in 2020.

The importance of water

A fundamental resource for the survival of the Planet, to be preserved in all our actions.

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Protecting air

An energy company like Eni produces emissions throughout its industrial process that have an impact on the atmosphere. That is why we use the Best Available Techniques (BATs) and the highest procedural standards to reduce emissions and assess the main pollutants in the atmosphere. The results confirm how committed we are. Eni has historically been committed to reducing its direct GHG emissions and was among the first in its industry to set a series of targets in 2015 aimed at improving the GHG emissions performance of the assets it operates, with specific indicators illustrating the progress achieved to date in terms of reducing GHG emissions into the atmosphere.

Overall, direct GHG emissions from Eni's operations in 2021 amounted to 40.08 million ton CO₂eq), while Net GHG Lifecycle Emissions (SCOPE 1+2+3) decreased by 10% compared to 2018.

Oil spill management

Eni is involved in the daily management of risks deriving from oil spills both in Italy and abroad, through increasingly integrated activities across all stages, from administrative to technical prevention, control and quality/speed/effectiveness. Among our achievements in 2021, barrels spilled from oil spill decreased by 35 per cent compared to 2020, while operational oil spills increased by 41% compared to 2020 due to a spill of almost 900 barrels at the Gela Refinery, due to an error during oil transfer operations from tanks onto a ship, with a recovery rate of 51%. As for sabotage oil spills, 2021 saw an increase in events (+13% compared to 2020), but almost half the number of spilled barrels (-48% compared to the previous year).

Circular economy and waste

The transition path towards a circular economy represents for Eni one of the main answers to the current environmental challenges by promoting a regenerative model. On the basis of this approach, business and production processes are reviewed with the aim of minimizing the use of natural resources and favouring sustainable inputs, reducing and reusing waste through recycling or recovery actions and extending the useful life of products and assets through reuse or reconversion and, in the case of CO₂, also by removing and balancing the residual part found in the atmosphere.

Our path towards a circular economy

We respond to environmental challenges by promoting a regenerative model.

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Waste management

With regard to waste management, Eni places a special focus on the traceability of the entire process and the verification of those involved in the disposal/recovery chain, in order to ensure compliance with regulations and the environment. Due to the increase in both non-hazardous waste (78% of the total) and hazardous waste, Eni's waste from production activities in 2021 increased by 19% compared to 2020. The increase is mainly related to the E&P sector (more than 88% of Eni's waste) where, in line with the gradual resumption of operations after the COVID-19 emergency, more than 334,000 tonnes of additional waste were generated compared to 2020. The E&P sector was also affected by drilling activities in Egypt, the USA, Vietnam, Mexico and Norway, while the Plenitude & Power and R&MeC sectors, in particular the EniPower plant in Ravenna and the Taranto refinery, also contributed to the growing trend of non-hazardous waste. However, recovered and recycled waste in 2021 increased by 15% compared to 2020, representing 11% of the total waste sent for treatment, due to the growing volumes of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste in the E&P and R&MeC sectors.

Almost all of Eni's waste in Italy is managed by Eni Rewind, which in 2021 continued to pursue the digitalization project it launched in 2020 to streamline and monitor its waste management process.

Reclamation activities

Protecting the countries in which we operate is an absolute priority for Eni, in line with our corporate mission's objective to preserve our planet. That is why, over the years, we have put in place ever more effective techniques and practices of reclamation. Total expenditure on remediation in 2021 amounted to over €452 million, an increase on previous years. More than 55% of the expenditure on remediation is generated by Eni Rewind, a company dedicated to the remediation of disused contaminated sites, and this increased to more than €250 million in 2021 (€208 million in 2020). In 2021, a total of 4.2 million tonnes of waste from remediation activities were generated (of which 3.9 million tonnes from Eni Rewind), 89% of which was groundwater treated by GT plants, partly reused and partly returned to the environment. In line with previous years, are supervised at every stage of the process, from design to execution of works and rehabilitation and valorisation of resources (soil, water, waste).

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Care for the environment and biodiversity at Eni

Our commitment to the planet

Environmental culture

Eni's activities to safeguard biodiversity

A special report on Eni’s approach to biodiversity

What is the “mitigation hierarchy” and why is it important?

Our commitment to Unesco World Heritage Sites

Integrated management of health, safety and the environment

Performance tool

Eni's positioning with regards to Green Sourcing

An efficient use of water

The importance of water

Protecting air

Oil spill management

Circular economy and waste

Our path towards a circular economy

Waste management

Reclamation activities

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