Performance Report 2004
Ambition 4: Safe and Responsible
As a vertically integrated energy company, EDF Energy has a considerable potential environmental impact. A draft set of priority environmental aspects has been developed, representing the most significant environmental challenges facing EDF Energy. These are listed below (there is no significance in the listing order), and the other pages in this section outline our response to the challenge.
The management of waste (including minimisation) is a prime objective for society. EDF Energy has immediate opportunities to improve performance in managing and minimising waste from all our activities.
The operation and installation of our networks and power stations can be the cause of pollution to water and to the ground. As a responsible company, our aim is to take active steps to prevent pollution and to minimise the risk of incidents by active management.
Emissions to air of acid gas pollutants (e.g. sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) from power stations, transport and other activities have the potential to create:
Although emissions of these substances have been substantially reduced in recent years, they remain a significant stakeholder concern. Management of these emissions will remain a high profile priority in the coming years.
Damage to the existing environment or disturbance of flora and fauna has a high significance for customers and stakeholders. As a responsible company, our aim is to take active steps to avoid creating damage or nuisance, rather than reacting afterwards.
In addition, EDF Energy has substantial land holdings, providing a positive opportunity to enhance ecological quality and biodiversity through appropriate management.
Like the wider concept of sustainability, there are many possible definitions of sustainable energy. Future energy supply and demand is a subject of intense stakeholder debate. EDF Energy has the opportunity to play a key role in making the transition to a sustainable energy future, throughout the energy supply chain.
Climate change is a major environmental concern and has a global impact. It is becoming one of the main drivers for future global energy policy (for example, the UK Government has a stated objective to move to a 'low carbon' economy). As a major power supplier, EDF Energy has a key role to play in delivering the optimised management of greenhouse gas emissions.
EDF Energy uses large quantities of materials, fuels and water. The supply of these has an environmental impact. There is scope for significant reductions of this impact by reducing our use of resources and/or switching to lower -impact alternatives.