Biodiversity

Interaction in harmony

Anglo American’s commitment to respect, preservation and, if required, fauna and flora recomposition in the regions where its units are installed seeks to go beyond the legal environmental measures. Among the company’s main management tools in connection with biodiversity we have the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), purpose of which is to monitor the situation of the direct and indirect influence areas of Anglo American units, and also take and implement predictive and preventive actions and, if required, adopt mitigating measures to ensure interaction in harmony between anthropic activities and local biodiversity.

Anglo American has implemented policies and strategies for biodiversity management, which were integrated to the document Anglo Environmental Way. The company’s guidelines for development of action plans are integrated to its environmental management system, certified by ISO 14001.

The company maintains partnerships with local and global NGOs (Fauna e Flora Internacional – FFI), as well as research institutions and Universities (Embrapa and UFG, in Barro Alto and Niquelândia). In 2009, Codemin’s plan for the Niquelândia region was expanded to include the surroundings of Barro Alto (also inserted in the biome of the Cerrado region). This plan has been re-audited by headquarters with the help of the NGO FFI, achieving the mark of 83% of alignment with new corporate standards in Niquelândia. With a view to sharing the comprehensive material produced in biodiversity studies, the company developed in conjunction with professors from the Research and Education Development and Support Foundation (Fundação de Apoio e Desenvolvimento ao Ensino e Pesquisa – Fundape) of the Federal University of Goiás, an environmental education project oriented to schools from the region.

The Catalão and Cubatão Copebrás units developed a Biodiversity Management program, involving scientific studies which seek to contribute to the regeneration of the Cerrado region surrounding the Catalão/Ouvidor units and the Atlantic Forest in the surroundings of the Cubatão Industrial Hub. The Cubatão unit entered into a partnership with the Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica (SOS Atlantic Forest Foundation) within the “Programa para Conservação das Zonas Costeira e Marinha sob influência do Bioma Mata Atlântica” (Program for Conservation of Coastal and Maritime Zones under Influence of the Atlantic Forest Biome) and “Fundo Costa Atlântica” (Atlantic Coast Fund), with contribution of R$ 1,100,000.00 for the period of five years.

At the Copebrás unit in Cubatão, a partnership is also under development with municipal and state governments and with the University of São Paulo (USP) for implementation of Atlantic Forest biodiversity conservation projects in the region and income generation for the local community by means of environmental products and services – which comprise the so-called ecomarket –, to be developed within the scope of the BAP. The Cubatão unit also implemented the Biodiversity Action Plan, which was audited in 2008 and registered 73% of alignment with the Anglo American Group’s new guidelines.

Only the Catalão surrounding area, which is more anthropized, that is to say, more impacted by human actions due to the agribusiness industry, had to postpone the adjustment of its Biodiversity Action Plan. However, in the actions to monitor the surroundings of the unit, the 33 fauna and flora species identified in a study do not present significant differences as compared to species verified in the available literature, and the occurrence of species threatened of extinction has not been registered.

The BAP annual schedule provides for the performance of audits at the Catalão and Ouvidor units in 2010 and the Cubatão unit in 2011. A change to this schedule is probable due to the new portfolio, as the units shall reassess their impact mitigation costs and their adjustment to the BAP’s current quality standards.

Notes:
1) This indicator does not apply to the business of the Cubatão unit.
2) This may not be restricted to areas formally protected and shall include considerations of impacts on buffer zones, as well as areas formally designated as of special sensitivity or importance.
3) Studies on the region’s fauna and flora identified affected species at the Catalão unit (phosphate): abundant floristic species found: LEGUMINOSAE: Sucupira-preta (Bowdichia virgilioides), faveiro (Dimorphandra mollis), and some lianas. Animals: serpents, frogs, siriema (a bird belonging to the Caariamidae family), arara-canindé (a type of spider).