Protect biodiversity

As outlined in the 2025 Global Risks Report by the World Economic Forum (WEF), the most severe risks expected to emerge in the next decade are associated with climate and nature. Efforts are being made to tackle this crisis through strategies and collaborations between the global community and market forces, particularly those focused on nature. 

The 2022 Conference of the Parties for the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15, held in Montreal, Canada) led to the Montreal-Kunming agreement. It sets ambitious goals to stop and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, including reforming harmful subsidy systems and restoring 30% of the planet's degraded ecosystems.   

To protect biodiversity, Galp is focused on the following drivers:

• Commit to include biodiversity related criteria in the decision-making
• Embed our sites in the ecosystem
• Collaborate through initiatives and partnerships

Commit to include biodiversity related criteria in the decision-making

Galp aims not to operate/explore/mine/drill inside the boundary of UNESCO’s World Heritage areas, avoid IUCN Category I-IV protected areas, achieve zero net deforestation and promote net positive impact in new projects. 

In 2024, we reaffirmed our position on biodiversity with the approval of our Biodiversity Policy.

Galp's Biodiversity Policy

Our Biodiversity Policy is centred around three fundamental principles:

Respect protecting zones

We recognise the value of UNESCO’s World Heritage areas and IUCN I-IV protected areas, and we respect their boundaries by not operating or avoid these high biodiversity important areas, respectively.

Identify, assess, and manage existing and new operated sites

We evaluate biodiversity in our operations and value chain, and embed it into our strategy and risk management. Specific action plans for sites near protected areas¹ and strategies for positive biodiversity impact in new projects are integral to our approach. In joint ventures, we promote collective integration by sharing our biodiversity guidelines, so as to foster a shared commitment to their implementation.

Promote collaboration and spread knowledge

We encourage key stakeholders to integrate biodiversity criteria into their business practices. Our efforts extend to fostering biodiversity-focused training and awareness initiatives among relevant partners.

With respect to product traceability, particularly for biofuel feedstock, Galp ensures that all feedstock is certified as sustainable through recognised certification schemes. These standards require that biofuel feedstock is sourced responsibly, with traceability mechanisms in place to safeguard biodiversity and respect ecosystem integrity across the value chain.

¹ UNESCO’s World Heritage areas and IUCN Category I-IV protected areas.

Preserve and conserve the forest

We have reinforced our aim to achieve zero net deforestation² in new projects in our Biodiversity Policy. This entails avoiding the removal of forest land whenever possible, and if unavoidable, compensating with future reforestation efforts.

² Galp uses Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAAO) definition for forest: “Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and canopy cover of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these thresholds in situ”.

Nature-related dependencies & impacts and Biodiversity risk screening

Galp conducts an annual evaluation of impacts, dependencies, and risks at its operated sites, focusing on biodiversity. This assessment leverages a range of tools and frameworks, including the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), the Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure (ENCORE), the Science-Based Targets for Nature (SBTN) Materiality Screening, the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT), and the WWF Biodiversity Risk Filter.

Embed our sites in the ecosystem

Our management approach follows the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, minimise, restore and offset).

We aim to develop action plans for existing sites located in or adjacent to protected areas.

For new projects located in or adjacent to protected areas, Galp is focused on developing a strategy to produce a positive impact on biodiversity. The Company developed a methodology called “Smart Renewable Power Plant” with the assistance of external experts to integrate solar plants into the ecosystem aiming to achieve a positive impact.

In case of joint ventures, we share Group's biodiversity guidelines to collectively pursue integration of  biodiversity issues. 

In non-operated sites, we share with our partners our best practices and respect the commitments established in the joint ventures. The partners who manage the upstream blocks not operated by Galp develop a set of initiatives to promote and preserve biodiversity.

Collaborate through initiatives and partnerships

Galp participated in several initiatives and collaborations, working in partnership with relevant stakeholders:

• Galp is a member of act4nature Portugal, an initiative promoted by BCSD Portugal, as part of act4nature international. This program mobilises companies to protect and restore biodiversity by encouraging them to join and sign up to 10 common commitments, along with individual ambitions, aligned with their specific activities. More detailed information can be consulted on the act4nature Portugal website.

• Galp is part of TNFD Forum, a multi-disciplinary consultative group who shares the mission and principles of the TNFD and is available to contribute to the work of the Taskforce. 

• Galp continued its membership of Fuels Europe and CONCAWE, and actively engages in initiatives, task forces, and working groups within the oil and gas sector (specifically on the refining industry) to address relevant environmental concerns. 

• Already a member of BCSD Portugal, Galp joined its Biodiversity working group and contribute to delivering solutions to protect and preserve biodiversity.