Biodiversity Archives

Priorities and initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture

Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Stakeholders, local communities, Sustainable supply chain

“Syngenta is the world’s leading agricultural company, providing effective crop protection products and high-yielding seeds to millions of farmers around the world. This is not only an opportunity but also a responsibility for us to take meaningful steps towards sustainable solutions that support natural diversity. That is why our strategy includes a strong focus on biodiversity and climate protection with concrete commitments, and we are confident that we can set an example for other companies and the industry.”
Éda Pogány, Sustainability Lead, Syngenta Europe

Company Name:

Syngenta Hungary

Implementation Year:

From 2022

Focus Areas:

Climate protection and adaptation, Biodiversity, Stakeholders and local communities, Sustainable supply chain

Program Objective:

We aim to reduce our emissions and energy use from our own operations by 38% by 2030 compared to 2022. As a large part of our carbon footprint comes from our supply chain, we are working with them to make our manufacturing processes more efficient and map the best path to carbon neutrality.

We need to produce enough safe food to feed 8 billion people every day worldwide, while reducing the sector’s environmental impact and countering the negative effects of climate change.

So we must strive to do it all at once:

to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of the sector,
restore the health of natural resources and soil, and
increase biodiversity, and
meet the increased demand for food.

Program Measures and Commitments:

In partnership with producers and other stakeholders, we have recently identified four sustainability priorities:

1.Higher yield, lower environmental impact

To feed the world’s ever-growing population, we are increasing yields by reducing the environmental impact of agriculture through continuous innovation and sustainable technologies.

We are developing and making widely available sustainable, innovative solutions that are more efficient, can be applied in a targeted way and provide benefits for nature, farmers and consumers alike.

2.Renewing soil and nature

Promoting the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices

The use of regenerative farming techniques and precision use of nutrients and pesticides can be effective in improving soil health and increasing biodiversity. Our research in this area aims to use scientific methods to show how regenerative practices can be effectively applied under changing agroclimatic conditions.

3.Improving the well-being of producers

Improving the profitability of small farmers by providing access to seeds, crop protection, finance, markets and the necessary knowledge

Syngenta’s experts are constantly educating themselves in the most important and rapidly changing areas of agronomy and are up-to-date with digital, internet and AI-based solutions to provide smallholder farmers with personalised advice on a daily basis.

4.Sustainable business operations

Reducing the environmental impact of our own operations and supply chain, fostering a diverse and inclusive corporate culture, and ensuring the health and safety of our employees

As a large part of our carbon footprint comes from our supply chain, we are working with them to make manufacturing processes more efficient and explore the best path to carbon neutrality. Workplace safety is always our top priority and we are constantly working to maintain and improve our diverse and inclusive business culture.

Program Impact and Results:

One of the most important tasks in meeting the targets is to attract and involve farmers. Our staff are in the fields with farmers every day. They know them and help them make the regenerative transition, with biological control, digital solutions, expert advice, measurements, research and development, modelling of environmental, agronomic and economic outcomes, and the development of disease-resistant crops that can cope with extreme weather conditions and good water management.

Keywords:

biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, value chain, climate protection and mitigation

11.12.2024

K&H agricultural CO2 calculator

Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Reduction of air pollution, Sustainable supply chain

“Sustainability requirements are seen by many as an obligation and a challenge, but we see them as an opportunity for progress. Accordingly, we are supporting the sustainable development of the domestic agriculture and food industry as an expert advisor and innovative guide by launching the K&H agri CO2 calculator. The calculator, which supports the awareness and sustainable management of businesses, can determine the carbon footprint of individual farms in the main crop and livestock sectors on the basis of calculations that meet scientific criteria.”
Libot Guy, CEO

Company name:

K&H Group

Implementation Year:

2023

Focus areas:

Reduction of air pollution, Sustainable supply chain, Climate protection and adaptation, Biodiversity

Program Objective:

Climate change, the demands of the Common Agricultural Policy and tougher consumer expectations are also pushing agriculture towards more environmentally friendly solutions. In the West, the affluent consumer class is now taking sustainability into account and is also looking at the carbon footprint of food.
In Hungary, affordability is still the most important consumer expectation for food, but consumer awareness of environmental sustainability is on the rise. Consumers are starting to pay attention to ethical and environmentally friendly production methods, they are prioritising locally produced food and we are seeing more and more initiatives to reduce food waste.
These trends are affecting the entire food industry, right down to the raw material producer. It is therefore important that all points in the supply chain are alert to these changes and are able to adapt their operations and product offerings accordingly.

One of the foundations for sustainable agriculture is GHG reduction. We are committed to reducing the GHG intensity of our agricultural funding by 21 percent by 2030 and 34 percent by 2050, but to do this we need to know the emissions of the farm. In order to reduce the carbon footprint of an economy, the first step is to know the exact numbers. In our experience, this data-based approach is still lacking in domestic practice, which is why we have created the free K&H agricultural CO2 calculator to provide agricultural companies with a good starting point for quantification and better understanding. The calculator was first launched in October 2023 for use by crop producers, and was extended in December 2023 to allow livestock producers to use it too.

Program Measures and Commitments:

In the coming years, the number of companies that will be required by the EU to report on their sustainability practices will increase significantly, with SMEs with more than 250 employees being covered from 2026, i.e. for the financial year 2025. We see that, for the time being, the lack of sustainability expertise and culture is a major challenge. Many of our clients are not ready to provide sustainability data (e.g. CO2 emissions), so our aim is to help them with this through the calculator. The calculator looks specifically at GHGs of agricultural origin (CO2, CH4, N2O), for direct (Scope1) and indirect (Scope2) emissions.

Beyond sustainability reporting, it is important for us to strengthen the sustainable profitability and crisis resilience of our clients. The calculator can also help them in this respect, as by filling it in they can keep track of how much energy (petrol, diesel, gas, etc.) and input materials (e.g. fertiliser, organic fertiliser, etc.) they have used in their production and whether they can reduce the quantities used by using them more intelligently and precisely.

This not only helps them to reduce their negative impact on the environment, but also to achieve significant cost reductions, which greatly helps to boost their profitability. It can also be of significant economic benefit to our agricultural commodity producer customers if they can demonstrate to their larger customers (retail chains, major food companies) that they are taking conscious steps and actions towards sustainability and are seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. Completing the calculator is also an excellent proof of this, as any further sustainability action can be based on this actual data. And after sustainability investments and actions have been made, you can check again how much your GHG emissions have decreased compared to the baseline, and quantify the reduction in CO2 emissions.

In addition to innovative financial solutions, we are promoting business sustainability with new, modern, easy and quick-to-use tools, such as the calculator. The development will help K&H to strengthen its relationship with agri-food companies and our partners to operate more stably and efficiently, increasing their competitiveness. There is a growing openness to use the calculator on the part of companies. On the one hand, this is because it gives companies the opportunity to present their sustainability results to their customers and partners. On the other hand, they plan to use the calculator’s results as an important element of their own sustainability reporting. Thirdly, there are customers who want to use the calculator to increase their company’s value and reputation.

Program Impact and Results:

So far, more than 40 companies have filled in the calculator. The results already show that the average national gross emissions in the crop sector are close to 2,000 tonnes of CO2, while in the pig sector they are 3,600 tonnes of CO2 and in the cattle sector they are over 9,200 tonnes of CO2 – confirming international estimates that there are significant differences in emissions between sectors at the domestic level. Perhaps even more illustrative of the differences are the gross specific emissions, which are 1.87 tonnes CO2/ha for crop production, 0.76 kg CO2/kg milk for dairy production, 1.66 kg CO2/kg live weight for pig production and 5.15 kg CO2/kg live weight for the cattle sector. These results also provide an opportunity to compare domestic emissions with international data. These show that while the average emissions of the domestic agricultural sector are 547 tonnes of CO2 per million EUR assets, the international figures are 1,528 tonnes of CO2 per million EUR assets, i.e. domestic emissions are only about a third of the Western average.

Keywords:

calculator, CO2 emission, agriculture

11.12.2024

Raising biodiversity to a strategic level

Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Corporate strategy, Water usage

„When we were founded in 2008, we made a clear commitment that has remained unchanged: we understand that the choices we make today will affect the future of our descendants in the future, and we will always make sure that the Earth is a liveable and lovable place for generations to come. Conserving and restoring our natural diversity is a priority area for this, and one that has been included in our strategy, with the attention and resources needed to achieve meaningful impact and systemic change.”
Attila Chikán Jr., Chairman-CEO

Company Name:

ALTEO Group

Implementation Year:

From 2022

Focus Areas:

Climate protection and adaptation, Water usage, Biodiversity, Corporate strategy

Program Objective:

Protecting natural diversity is also an increasingly important task for our company. Although our activities do not have a large direct negative biodiversity impact, we consider our direct impact important, as our facilities affect natural habitats and our emissions associated with our activities have a general impact on the living environment.

In order to assess the significant impact of our activities and services on biodiversity and to integrate biodiversity monitoring and objectives into our strategy, we have set the following targets and commitments:

Conduct a water-related risk assessment and biodiversity survey for our sites in 2023
Develop a biodiversity action plan by 2025
Investing HUF 100 million in pilot projects to support biodiversity conservation by 2030
Integrating biodiversity as a factor in corporate systems and processes

The Green Committee is responsible for the preparation and implementation of the Company’s sustainability strategy and efforts. The Green Committee is a body of senior executives and experts that reviews and approves corporate policies and long-term objectives for sustainable development and ensures that the ESG approach and climate risks are kept on the agenda. The Green Committee also ensures a consistent representation of sustainability in the ALTEO Group’s external relations.

Program Measures and Commitments:

Our infrastructure projects, such as power plants, affect large areas of land and important water bodies. We pay particular attention to keeping our environment clean and to the principles of precaution, responsible care and prevention.

Our Integrated Management Policy allows these factors to be taken into account, as it states that we will pay particular attention to them as part of our commitment to sustainable development and social responsibility:

biodiversity and land use,
conservation of natural values,
protecting our environment, and
improving our environmental performance in a consistent and systematic way.

But this commitment is only the first step towards addressing and reducing our biodiversity impacts and potential risks. The importance of this topic is not in question, but we need more information to take the right next steps and to effectively define a concrete, targeted and monitoring system. This is why we have a strategic objective for sustainability to carry out a biodiversity and water risk assessment.

Biodiversity protection has been added to the list of materiality issues, indicating that it is a topic that will receive strategic attention and play a strategic role in the future.

Of all the power plants owned or operated, only the Gibart hydroelectric power plant is included in the Natura 2000 priority sites for nature conservation and special protection areas for birds as an ecological corridor. None of our other sites is located in or in the immediate vicinity of a protected area or an area of high biodiversity value outside protected areas.

The corporate risk assessment included a separate risk analysis for water, biodiversity and climate change.

Program Impact and Results:

In our Integrated Report 2022, we reported for the first time on Biodiversity Conservation as an identified relevant topic, for which we plan to carry out further assessments and targets in the coming years in the short (2024-2025), medium (2026-2030) and long term (2030-2040). A biodiversity assessment has been carried out with the assistance of an external expert. One of the key elements is that a dedicated budget has been allocated to ensure that the projects are implemented in a meaningful way.

The biodiversity action packages identified focus on the following 4 main areas:

Ecological maintenance of sites
Protecting the biodiversity of off-site natural resources, habitats and landscapes
Improving the biodiversity of areas relevant to the operation of sites and power plants
Strengthening public benefits for biodiversity conservation

Keywords:

biodiversity, water protection, climate protection, Green Committee

05.12.2024

Bank for a Sustainable Future

Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Water usage

For a responsible company, sustainability is not only a moral imperative, but also a business imperative. By integrating ESG considerations into our strategic business activities, we strive to make our everyday actions benefit our environment. As one of the largest financiers of domestic companies and the general public, we believe it is important to contribute to our clients’ own sustainability goals. We believe that companies should not only generate profits, but also take responsibility for a sustainable environment and society.
dr. Zsolt Barna, Chairman-CEO

Company Name:

MBH Bank Nyrt.

Implementation Year:

From 2023

Focus Areas:

Climate Protection and Adaptatition, Water usage, Biodiversity

Program Objective:

MBH Bank, identifying the main challenge of our time, environmental and operational sustainability, is committed to be a key player in the creation of sustainable economic operations in the domestic financial markets. To this end, in December 2023, it established a complex ESG programme called Bank for a Sustainable Future, which spans several years.

MBH Bank has made three key commitments under the programme:

preserving biodiversity,
achieving decarbonisation, and
achieving green lending targets.

In order to achieve its decarbonisation ambitions, the Bank is joining international organisations such as the Net Zero Banking Alliance and has committed to be the first Hungarian-owned bank to join the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in 2024, which will validate its emissions reductions on an international, scientific basis.

Program Measures and Commitments:

On 4 December 2023, at the Climate Summit event, the Bank announced the “Bank for a Sustainable Future”, a comprehensive sustainability and environmental framework programme spanning several years, with three key commitments:

have set themselves the goal of preserving biodiversity,
protect our natural habitats and species through green finance solutions and programmes, and
support Hungary’s climate goals and decarbonisation efforts.

To deliver on their first commitment, they are working with the Ministry of Agriculture to implement biodiversity support programmes in 10 national parks in Hungary. The explicit aim of the cooperation agreement is to support national projects with national organisations.

Conservation efforts related to pranticole, one of the most endangered shorebird species in the Carpathian Basin, will be expanded through the implementation of a tagging survey with the involvement of the Nature Conservation Watch of the Hortobágy National Park Directorate.
In another joint initiative with the national parks, solar-pumped water recharge based on renewable energy will be implemented in the Danube-Tisza river basin to restore disappearing wetlands that are drying up due to climate change and sinking groundwater levels.
A further conservation objective is the reconstruction of the Pannonian saltmarsh wetlands with intermittent water cover in the saltmarsh and the maintenance of their associated protected species, including the red-bellied pochard and several species of shorebirds.
In addition, wildcat conservation projects are also important. The planned studies and the expected results can provide the basis and support for the development and implementation of practical conservation strategies for the species on a comprehensive, larger scale and at local level.

Along their passive products, they help market players who are doing a lot to preserve biodiversity, through active products, credit investments and investments that increase energy efficiency. They aim to increase the stock of green credits by 4 percentage points by 2024.

Program Impact and Results:

Under the MBH Forest project, launched in 2023, nearly 30,000 trees have already been planted, and this number will increase further in 2024 to restore damaged forests in the areas of the Ipe River Forest.
The Bank will support Hungarian beekeepers with nearly one million forints per month after the sustainable card spending.
In 2023, the Bank supported the installation of 200 blood broods in the context of the green flat-rate service, of which 128 broods were flown out, and the installation of broods continued this year.

The Bank supported the national parks with HUF 34 million, and also contributed to the investments of Ipoly Forest Ltd. and Pilis Park Forest.

Keywords:

Biodiversity, forestation, decarbonisation, national park, renewable energy, green finance solutions

19.09.2024

Reforestation at the Grundfos Székesfehérvár site

Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Corporate strategy, Employee well-being, Reduction of air pollution, Responsible corporate governance, Stakeholders, local communities

“Sustainability has always been a matter of the heart for Grundfos and is one of our core values. Therefore, we strive to pioneer solutions to the world’s water and climate challenges and improve people’s quality of life. This corporate goal is an integral part of our daily operations. The reforestation project at our Székesfehérvár site serves these goals, and following the principle of ‘think globally, act locally,’ we aim to do more for sustainability by building on local opportunities and needs.”
Olivér Szundy, Country Director / Csaba Udvar, Managing Director of the Székesfehérvár plant

Company Name:

Grundfos Hungary Manufacturing Ltd.

Implementation Year:

2022-2024

Focus Areas :

Climate Protection, Climate Adaptation, Air Pollution Reduction, Biodiversity, Employee Well-being, Stakeholders, Local Communities, Responsible Corporate Governance, Corporate Strategy

Program Objective:

The primary goal of the reforestation project implemented on a 4000 m2 area is to locally reduce CO2 emissions in the immediate vicinity of emissions. Expert estimates suggest that after 20 years, we can achieve approximately 25 tons of CO2 savings. In addition, improving the air quality in the industrial park environment and increasing biodiversity are also objectives.

Additional Goals:

Reducing noise and pollution from road traffic.
Mitigating north-northwest winds.
Returning a piece of nature to what the factory occupies.

Program Measures and Commitments:

In 2022, Grundfos initiated the biodiversity program at its Székesfehérvár plant, which will conclude in 2024. A crucial goal was to give back a piece of nature from what the factory occupies. Besides preserving and increasing biodiversity, a significant sustainability goal is to reduce CO2 emissions, which reforestation substantially contributes to on a 4000 m2 area. It’s worth emphasizing that this wasn’t merely tree planting, but a complex creation of a new ecosystem that will become self-sustainable in the long run, requiring no special care or intervention as this function is returned to nature.

Key steps and milestones:

The first step was selecting the area, designated or taken from the factory’s green areas, for the project.

The project creation was supported by a diverse team of experts, from facility management to environmental, health and safety personnel, and HR, ensuring that all necessary aspects are incorporated and applied during the program’s design and operation.

In addition to colleagues, it was essential to involve external experts, including cooperation with the Székesfehérvár City Maintenance, Vadex Mezőföld Forest and Game Management Ltd., and the University of Western Hungary.

The project concept was developed, followed by obtaining permits locally and globally.

After procurement, soil tests and preparation of the loess soil were carried out. The expertise of foresters in suggesting suitable tree species for the specific area and climatic conditions was crucial. In the end, around 3000 plants were planted, including field maple, Turkestan pear, wild pear, sessile oak, common oak, and, for the forest edge, hawthorn from domestic shrubs.

Post-care is crucial, and this will be carried out by local forestry experts under a 3-year framework contract.

In the future, we plan to establish a recreational park and communal space on the site for employees and company partners, thereby promoting the possibility of connecting with nature.

Program Impact and Results:

Key results:

Local capture of emitted CO2 on a 4000 m2 area.
Preservation and increase of biodiversity by planting 5 different tree species.
Avoidance of lawn mowing and fertilizer use to preserve the soil.
Climate adaptation – adapting to climate change (the forest has air-cleaning and cooling effects).

Keywords:

biodiversity, CO2, net zero, forest, Grundfos, climate change, climate adaptation

10.10.2023

Natural Office Park

Alternative energy use and energy efficiency, Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Employee well-being

“We believe that humans are a part of nature and feel at home where they have a direct connection with it. The Park was conceived in this spirit, and to this day, we continue to develop it based on this idea. We are building modern offices, a diverse natural environment, and a cohesive community. We believe that sustainability goes beyond green technologies and is about creating a world where everyone can thrive, recognizing the dignity and value of every human being.”
János Kocsány, CEO

Company Name:

Graphisoft Park SE

Implementation Year:

1998-2023

Focus Areas:

Climate Protection, Climate Adaptation, Alternative Energy Use and Energy Efficiency, Biodiversity, Employee Well-being

Program Objective:

The development of Graphisoft Park is a brownfield investment that started in 1996 on the abandoned grounds of the Óbuda Gas Factory. Our goal was to create real green environments for the office buildings constructed after the revitalization of the area, and to reintegrate the area into the urban fabric. We began creating biodiversity as part of the very first developments, and the natural environment has continued to evolve alongside the buildings.

The built-up area is 25%, while the green area accounts for more than 60%, with approximately 2,500 m2 of green roofs. Graphisoft Park represents a unique quality as a green and biodiverse office park in Budapest.

Program Measures and Commitments:

We don’t just provide office space for rent, but also offer an attractive green environment and a high-quality mental setting. The new business model recognizes that the natural environment of the office park is just as important as modern offices. There are three schools operating on the Park Campus. Creativity requires employees and students to be able to go outside, walk, and have communal spaces for exchanging ideas. The founders of the park saw the return on investment in high-quality work rather than just in real estate development. The creators of the park paid special attention to creating green spaces. Spacious groves surround the buildings, and the trees are taller than the houses. Multi-level underground parking lots were also built so that the surface view is defined by greenery rather than a multitude of parked cars. A lake in the center of the park and, of course, the uniquely quiet Danube riverside promenade provide unparalleled tranquility to the place. The desired result was for tenants to find a long-term home due to the uniqueness of the natural features.

Detailed landscape plans were prepared during the preparation of the office development. As a result, 14 hectares of the Graphisoft Park area were built and 8,400 m2 of land was covered with green vegetation. We acknowledged that providing parking spaces for our tenants is also an important consideration when choosing an office. Therefore, since the 2006 expansion, we have built over two thousand parking spaces underground. This allows us to create a green area ratio of over 60% in the park.

The rate of construction is only 25%, which is quite extraordinary in Budapest and even in Europe.

During the investment, approximately 300 trees were planted. In the center of the park, we created an artificial lake where we introduced fish. We also managed to lure back birds that had moved away 70 years ago.

Sustainability goes beyond environmental protection; it’s also about the human factor. Human relationships, community life, and people paying attention to each other are just as important a part of sustainable development as resource preservation. We pay attention to the health and well-being of those working in our buildings, providing them with appropriate conditions and creating communal spaces for this purpose.

Program Impact and Results:

Developed area from 1998 to 2023: 14 hectares, 82,000 m2 of office, laboratory, educational institutions
Built-up area ratio: 25%
Percentage of green area: over 60%
Number of trees: approximately 300
Number of bird species: 22 (Hungarian Ornithological Institute survey, 2021)
Number of tenants from 1998 to 2023: 180
Cumulative loyalty index (average lease duration from the start of the current tenants’ lease): 15.1 years
Number of employees/students working/studying here: 5000/1000 people
Occupancy rate: 97% (reduced by 2% due to the pandemic and home office)

Keywords:

Biodiversity preservation, brownfield investment, real estate development, communal space, community building

10.10.2023

Regenerative Agricultural Initiative in the Nestlé Pet Food Supply Chain (Bük and Surrounding Areas)

Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Stakeholders, local communities, Sustainable supply chain, Water usage

“Nestlé aims to source one-fifth of its key raw materials from areas that use soil regeneration methods by 2025. The essence of the LENS program is to eliminate the negative impacts of large-scale agricultural production, which has become widespread worldwide, and restore the exposed soil to a state where it can sustain its fertility in the long term.”
Peter Noszek, CEO

Company Name:

Nestlé Hungary Ltd.

Implementation Year:

2022-2023

Focus Areas:

Climate Protection and Adaptation, Water Usage, Biodiversity, Stakeholders, Local Communities, Sustainable Supply Chain

Program Objective:

By 2025, Nestlé aims to source one-fifth of its key raw materials from areas that use soil regeneration methods.

The essence of Nestlé’s soil renewal agricultural program in Bük is to:

Eliminate the negative impacts of large-scale agricultural production, which has become widespread worldwide.
Restore the exposed soil to a state where it can sustain its fertility in the long term.

As part of the program, Nestlé Purina seeks to promote the transition to soil renewal agricultural practices among its suppliers to:

Improve the resilience of its supply chain.
Contribute to the company’s net-zero emissions goal.

Program Measures and Commitments:

The broader adoption of regenerative agricultural practices, which supports food security, can:

Significantly sequester carbon and reduce emissions.
Increase soil water retention, improving water quality.
Enhance biodiversity.
Facilitate the inclusion of livestock grazing.
Provide long-term security for farmers.

The Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) methodology is used to develop private-sector ecosystem service marketplaces in specific regions. The program, developed by the British sustainability consultancy 3Keel, is running in several European countries and is managed by the international nonprofit organization Preferred by Nature, aligned with LENs principles and guidelines. In Hungary, the Nestlé Purina Petcare unit initiated the LENs program in the Western Transdanubian region in 2021. A significant portion of the raw materials supplied to the Nestlé Purina pet food factory in Bük is sourced from Hungarian farmers.

The LENs methodology is an independent mechanism based on ecosystem services. It allows businesses with a common interest in the protection and improvement of natural values and functions in a given region to jointly finance specific practices and measures.

The Impact and Results of the Program:

In 2022, the program worked with over 3 farmers on more than 200 hectares to implement soil renewal agricultural practices, financed by Nestlé Purina for over EUR 260,000.

In 2023, the program continues with 12 farmers on more than 5,000 hectares, including the measurement of results through a developed monitoring, reporting, and verification system. The program also includes farmer education and awareness-building through the Farm Network, which organizes 4-5 farmer training sessions annually.

Keywords:

Regenerative Agriculture, Soil Renewal Agriculture, Biodiversity Restoration, Climate Protection, Food Security, Supply Chain

10.10.2023

Professional Guide for Next-Generation Solar Parks

Alternative energy use and energy efficiency, Biodiversity, Climate protection and adaptation, Consumer awareness

„Our goal is not just to make the electrical energy green, but to ensure that the developed facility can be fully integrated into the local ecological cycle. That’s why we launched this initiative, which is groundbreaking in Hungary. Solar power plants have been considered environmental investments by developers before, but the aim of integrating power plant areas into nature and the comprehensive approach to this had not appeared systematically in the domestic market until now.”
Dr. Gábor Farkas, Managing Director

Company name:

SolServices

Implementation year:

2022

Focus Areas:

Climate Protection and Adaptation, Alternative Energy Use and Energy Efficiency, Biodiversity, Consumer Awareness

Program Objective:

Whatever we do, the preservation of biodiversity is our shared responsibility. Following this principle, we have developed a unique professional guide for the creation of environmentally-friendly solar parks in Europe, which we are implementing under the name ‘Lumen Park.’ Our goal is to combine the benefits of solar energy production with nature conservation and ecosystem preservation. In addition to the sustainability of social and environmental well-being, we aim to ensure the long-term sustainability and value retention of investments. With our partners, we want to set an example for players in any industry: the key is not to compromise nature for the sake of industrial production efficiency but to find solutions for the preservation of both.

Program Measures and Commitment:

Our goal was to create the country’s leading public solar parks in a way that:

simultaneously addresses the increased demand for clean energy,
meets the growing sustainability expectations of society,
maximizes biodiversity,
minimizes the implementation footprint as much as possible.

The Lumen Park professional guide was developed in collaboration with experts from seven organizations. We reached out to potential partners at the beginning of 2020, making a concerted effort to engage a broad spectrum of industry stakeholders. The following were invited:

Engineering design firms,
Contractors,
Operators,
Small and large companies,
Environmental service providers,
NGOs (non-governmental organizations),
National parks.

The English version of the professional guide was completed in 2022, and for this occasion, we invited internationally renowned ecological researcher Hannah Montag to a professional consultation. During a multi-day workshop, we shared our findings and insights. We are currently continuing our collaboration with our partners, primarily focused on promoting the publication.

The professional guide is fundamentally built upon international research findings. It serves educational purposes by presenting the expected positive environmental impacts of solar parks, thereby educating local stakeholders. However, there were no concrete recommendations or toolkits available to achieve or potentially amplify these positive results. Based on the evaluation of international research findings, the company’s experts concluded that a solar park should be viewed as a fallow agricultural field. By applying tools that have been successfully tested in ecological agriculture, such a professional guide can be created for industry use, enabling the establishment of high-value green energy investments. This approach ultimately proved to be unique on an international level, enriching the international professional community with new ideas.

Program Impact and Results:

A professional guide has been created (in English and Hungarian) that allows for the maximization of the positive ecological and environmental impacts of solar panels, thus enabling the production of truly sustainable and clean energy.

The professional guide is actively downloaded by energy and environmental experts, educators, and laypersons from Hungary and all over the world. Based on feedback, national parks are actively using the guide when granting permits for solar parks. After the completion of solar parks, ongoing monitoring continues, so within a few years, there will be precise domestic information about the impact of solar parks on biodiversity.

Keywords:

solar energy, solar park, guide

04.10.2023

Biodiversity conservation and restoration at the dolomite plant in Pilisvörösvár

Biodiversity, Stakeholders, local communities

“In the construction industry, we must not forget that the resources we use are provided by nature, which has been home to the evolving biodiversity over millions of years. Our mission is to shape our industrial activities with maximum consideration for this and to regard biodiversity as one of the fundamental pillars of our business strategy. That’s why we launched our biodiversity program at the Pilis dolomite mine, with the main goal of providing habitats and living space for the valuable plant and animal species found here.”
Daniel Domini, Managing Director

Company name:

Saint Gobain

Implementation year :

Continously from 2020

Focus Areas:

Biodiversity, Stakeholder, local communities

Program Objective:

The dolomite mine at Saint-Gobain’s Weber plant in Pilisvörösvár has a history of more than 120 years. The main objective of our biodiversity programme, launched at the end of 2020 as a central initiative, is to provide habitats for the valuable plant and animal species found here, and to demonstrate that biodiversity can be safeguarded and further enhanced even in the presence of mining activities.

Saint-Gobain’s strategy is to focus on the operations with the greatest potential to impact on each of its more than 650 plants worldwide. Mining operations play the most significant role in biodiversity conservation and restoration.

Program Measures and Commitments:

As a construction company operating in the Pilis Hills – on 11 hectares – the protection of our environment is crucial for us. To provide plaster, tile adhesive and other technical mortar for millions of people, mining is essential.

Our biodiversity programme was born out of corporate climate neutrality commitments. Our net zero commitments, validated by Science Based Targets, include biodiversity conservation and restoration alongside targets on waste, CO2, energy consumption, etc.

In order to start the program we have mapped the flora and fauna with the help of biologists. As a first step, we have created a permanent wetland that did not exist before, maintained and diversified our grassland by grazing, converted our explosives store into a bat sanctuary, installed bird nests, swallow nests and bee hives, and protected our protected plants.

We design all this with a systems approach to create habitats that lay the foundations for a self-sustaining ecosystem. To do this, we have created a permanent water body of nearly 2000 m2 of water surface area, where we have planted reeds and sedges, on the site of our stormwater reservoir and siltation basin. Connected to this, we created a grassland area of about 1 hectare, grazed by rack sheep. It was a challenge to preserve natural assets in an industrial environment and to create protected habitats on the farm site. The design of the grazing area and the water body had to take into account the natural conditions and had to be coordinated with the work.

Our aim was to continue mining in a way that has a positive impact on biodiversity, and we have achieved this.

Program Impact and Results:

The ecosystem of the lake is stable, and its diversity continues to increase, just like the diversity of the meadow. According to the survey in the summer of 2022, the population of Italian and tarlósáska on the grazed area was approximately 20-30 individuals per square meter. Bats used our refuge for hibernation. Our protected bird population has increased. The conservation value of our critically endangered Hungarian gurgolya population reaches 500 million Hungarian forints.

The number of species increased from 154 to 199 by 2022, and this year, it has grown to over 200 with new species. In 2023, we launched the program in Halmajugra, on the Rigips factory premises, and we aim to inspire as many companies as possible to start their own programs through presentations, articles, and factory visits.

In 2023, we were able to hold off-site natural science classes for more than 150 students and discuss the importance of biodiversity.

Keywords:

conservation and restoration of biodiversity, native species, protected species

04.10.2023

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