The world commemorates World Environment Day annually on June 5 to celebrate and promote environmental awareness and sustainability across the globe. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (“UNEP”), and held every year since 1974, each edition focuses on raising awareness and mobilizing the world to take positive action to protect nature and our planet.
The theme for this year is Solutions to Plastic Pollution under the campaign slogan #BeatPlasticPollution. The theme is focused on creating awareness on the effects of plastic pollution on our ecosystem.
Chevron Nigeria Limited (“CNL”), operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (“NNPCL”) and CNL, identifies with this global action to address the impact of plastic pollution as it aligns with our commitment to protecting the environment while providing affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy.
CNL conducts its business in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner, in compliance with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements, stakeholder expectations and best industry practices, and has made environmental stewardship part of its social investment programmes.
Rick Kennedy, CNL’s Chairman and Managing Director, explains that the company’s approach to sustainability is highlighted by its commitment to protecting the environment, empowering its people, and always getting results the right way. “Environmental protection is a key Operational Excellence focus that is integrated into our project planning and life cycle of our assets. We implement a robust process for management of wastes, including solid wastes like plastics of various densities through reduction, reuse, and recycling options.
“We continue to assess and implement reduction of single-use plastic water bottles by providing water dispensers. We have also invested in waste management equipment to shred, crush, and compact for recycling and re-use of waste by third party service providers. These actions have prevented our used plastics from leaking into our immediate natural environment,” he stated.
According to Rick, CNL’s Operational Excellence Management System delivers industry-leading performance in process safety, personal safety and health, environment, reliability, and efficiency. “Our focus on the environment during decision making lays the foundation for sound environmental management. The company protects the environment through the entire lifecycle from responsible design, development, operations, and asset retirement,” he stated.
CNL recognizes the importance of minimizing its environmental footprints by promoting ecosystem restoration. The company continually aims to achieve world class environmental excellence through implementation of its Environment Risk Management process to identify, assess, mitigate against, and manage environmental risks, environmentally related community health risks, and environmentally related social risks.
CNL is advancing its lower carbon strategy by focusing on lowering the carbon intensity of its operations and by implementing methane detection and reduction capabilities. CNL utilizes high tech Optical Gas Imaging (“OGI”) cameras for detecting fugitive emissions and in the past 10 years has reduced routine gas flaring by over 97% in its operations.
The company, in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (“NCF”), established the Lekki Conservation Centre in 1992. This 78-hectare facility, a center of excellence in environmental research and education, is reserved as a sanctuary for the rich flora and fauna of the Lekki Peninsula.
In 2005, CNL began supporting a yearly postgraduate research scholarship for PhD students in environment and conservation, instituted by the NCF.
Additionally, the company hosts the annual S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture to promote environmental management awareness and partners with the Lagos State Government and NCF to sponsor the annual Walk for Nature event, a programme aimed at creating awareness for nature conservation and sustainable environmental management. The theme of the 2019 edition was “Plastic Pollution, the enemy of our development agenda.”
Esimaje Brikinn, CNL’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs notes that CNL recognizes the importance of protecting and conserving biodiversity. “We have a long history of working in collaboration with communities, industry groups, regulators, and conservation groups to identify and protect biodiversity in parts of the world where we operate. For over 60 years, the company has remained an active agent of sustainable development and strong advocate of partnerships in support of the environment. We will continue to partner with stakeholders in raising public awareness to create the transformative environmental change we need to advance to a more sustainable world that Beats plastic pollution for ourselves and for future generations,” he said.