Biodiversity

One third of Bolivia's mammals are bats and, despite this important richness, there is still little knowledge about the biology of these species and the benefits they provide as seed dispersers, pollinators and pest controllers in the ecosystems where they live. As part of the Caipipendi Area Biodiversity Action Plan, a study of bats has been carried out with the aim of providing greater knowledge about the ecology and conservation status of these mammals present in this area. As a result of this project, it has been possible to generate a guide on bat species that live in this area, in addition to the first acoustic library of bats that live in the southern sub-Andean region of Bolivia.

In July 2022, we released five Bonelli's eagles in Huesca under the supervision of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, and Environment of Aragon, and the technical support of the association GREFA (Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona y su Hábitat).

This operation has succeeded in returning several specimens of this bird to their natural habitat, catalogued as "endangered" and whose population had fallen by 35% in the last 15 years, currently amounting to 20 pairs. This project also includes close collaboration with local authorities, talks to raise public awareness, and the release of up to twenty more birds.

Our operations in the Caipipendi area (Bolivia) incorporate biodiversity criteria in all phases of the asset's life.

We have conducted an environmental impact study, sensitivity mapping, and historical monitoring of the area with satellite imagery to identify our impacts and mitigate them.

We carry out annual campaigns to monitor the ecological status/potential of reservoirs and rivers downstream of hydropower plants. The aim is to monitor to avoid impacts on these ecosystems directly related to our hydropower production activity.

We participate in the LIFE DIVAQUA project. Its main objective is the restoration of the aquatic ecosystems of the Natura 2000 Network in the Picos de Europa National Park (northern Spain) and its surroundings to improve the conservation status of aquatic habitats and species of Community interest.

We carry out biodiversity management actions on the properties we own around the Gaia reservoir, which supplies water to our Tarragona Industrial Complex. These measures include building stone piles to preserve the Bonelli's eagle and eagle owl populations, the installation of nesting boxes to maintain and increase the populations of insectivorous birds, rollers, and bats, and the recovery of carob tree fields.

For years, we have been implementing an ecological beaconing project with biotopes on the Tarragona coast in order to attract marine flora and fauna and form small reefs.

Since the start of the project in 2012, 135 biotopes have been distributed on the beaches of 6 coastal towns. 

In 2020, this initiative was chosen as an example of best practice according to SDG 14: "Conserve and sustainably use oceans, seas, and marine resources” during the Spanish Global Compact Network's Oceans Week. 

In the construction of the Sagari Project, we have implemented management measures that enabled us to identify biologically sensitive areas and to mitigate biodiversity impacts. These measures include the installation of canopy bridges and the translocation of plants.

In addition, we have carried out the revegetation of the pipeline as part of the Asset Abandonment Plan.

Our Campus headquarters (Madrid) has participated in the LIFE Project “Boosting Urban Green Infrastructure through Biodiversity-Oriented Design of Business Premises” (LIFE BooGI-BOP), which promotes the design and management of business and industrial environments with biodiversity in mind.

Since the headquarters was built and opened in 2012, measures have been developed and evolved with a dual objective: to provide the best possible urban work environment for employees and visitors while fostering their connection to biodiversity, and at the same time to provide an attractive and productive habitat for local wildlife species.

For the design and construction of the green spaces, elements were incorporated ranging from species selection and efficient irrigation systems to water storage and reuse.

In 2013, the building earned LEED-NC Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

We have developed a predictive model of underwater acoustic propagation based on actual values from Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) measurement equipment. The model makes it possible to predict noise values on offshore production platforms regardless of the salinity of the water and the depth of the environment, which facilitates risk management for marine life in order to minimize the impact of our operations. With this advance, Repsol strengthens its commitment to biodiversity management in the marine environment for offshore hydrocarbon production activities, complementing it with compliance with the guidelines of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) in all its offshore geophysical seismic operations.

In the biodiversity monitoring pilot using eDNA (environmental DNA), carried out in Kinteroni (Peru) in 2019, we demonstrated that it is possible to trace the biological footprint of a highly sensitive Amazonian environment without increasing pressure on the ecosystem. Compared to traditional methods—which require more specialists, captures, and sightings—eDNA allows for a more comprehensive “snapshot” based on environmental samples (water, sediments, and soils), providing higher resolution for identifying key groups and detecting species of conservation interest.

The project was a pioneer within the company: the internal technical team, in collaboration with scientific partners, designed and executed it from start to finish, with a clear focus on data quality.

The main takeaway was twofold: on the one hand, eDNA brings efficiency and reduces field intrusion; on the other, the importance of reference libraries: when local references are incorporated, identification improves and comparability with traditional methods increases.

This pilot strengthens our ability to make better informed environmental decisions, anticipate risks, and align biodiversity management with international standards, while also opening up a scalable pathway for future applications in other assets.