3. 3.4.2 Accidental pollution (water and soil) The environmental impact of freight transport includes not only air pollution and CO2 emissions, but also the risks associated with water and soil pollution. Although all modes of transport are subject to the risk of soil pollution, water pollution primarily relates to maritime transport, which is the only mode of transport that releases waste into the water. The regulations in force have been considerably tightened to limit polluting discharges, with the implementation of Emissions Control Areas (ECAs) to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions: shipping companies have either replaced heavy fuel oil with diesel, or installed scrubbers to filter waste. Accidental pollution can nevertheless occur in the event of accidents during transport, handling or equipment maintenance. At certain storage sites, the presence of retention tanks or retention areas helps to prevent soil pollution following accidental spills or leaks from containers. In addition, for tank trucks that transport liquid chemicals, GEODIS uses authorized washing stations equipped with specific effluent treatment systems. Potential pollution scenarios are identified as part of the risk assessment process for our activities and their possible impacts. Preventive actions and training are regularly provided to employees, and crisis management procedures are set up to contain pollution and alert employees, local residents and local authorities. Any incident or accident is systematically analyzed and is the subject of a corrective action plan and a process improvement review. 3.4.3 Biodiversity Biodiversity encompasses the variety of living beings on our planet that are present in different geographical areas and different types of ecosystems. It describes, in its broadest sense, the richness of life on Earth and is illustrated by the great diversity of plants, animals and microorganisms that inhabit it. The fight against the current collapse of this biodiversity has been set as a target date of 2030 by the COP15 conference on Biodiversity, held in Montreal in 2022. In this context, companies are encouraged to take up the subject by assessing their dependence and their footprint on the environment and on biodiversity. The impact of transport and logistics activities on air, water, soil, fauna and flora is very diverse and widespread. It occurs through its activities’ points of contact with the environment, i.e., via its international network of agencies and logistics hubs, via transport flows and the infrastructures used (roads, ports, airports, etc.), as well as through the goods transported, which can contribute to the displacement of invasive species between different regions of the world. In addition, the Group’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions require, among other things, the use of biofuels obtained from agricultural production. This cultivation can lead to conflict over the use of agricultural land (food crops). Deforestation and intensive cultivation using plant protection products can contribute to biodiversity loss. The Group is concerned about the decline in biodiversity, due to the pressure that the construction and management of its infrastructures can create on the environment. Although these issues were not identified as priorities by our stakeholders in the materiality analysis (see section 2.1.1), GEODIS worked to reinforce environmental criteria in its CSR roadmap and in its decision-making processes in 2023, particularly with respect to investment decisions. The aim is to make environmental issues (GHG emissions, pollution, resource management, biodiversity) a more integral part of the design and management of its transport and logistics infrastructures. 2023 ACTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORT - 55 EDITORIAL > 1. PROFILE AND AMBITION > 2. CSR POLICY > 3. ENVIRONMENT > 4. SOCIAL > 5. ETHICS > 6. TABLE OF INDICATORS
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