We are therefore proud to be participating in COP29 – the latest edition of the annual climate summit where countries from across the planet gather to discuss how the they can accelerate climate action and keep the goals of the Paris Agreement 2015 in sight – currently taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The event has provided an opportunity for Leonardo to demonstrate how our technologies—including Earth observation and integrated data platforms powered by artificial intelligence—play a crucial role in driving sustainable change.
Biodiversity’s critical role
Earlier this month also saw COP16, the world’s largest biodiversity summit, conclude in Columbia with several landmark decisions made, including the first ever agreements on nature’s genetic data. This was the first summit since the Global Biodiversity Agreement was signed in 2022, with the aim of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2050.
Biodiversity is increasingly under threat, with priority species in the UK alone declining 73% since 1970. Yet biodiversity is vital for all of us, since it is essential for healthy ecosystems that provide us with the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink, not to mention the importance of nature for our overall sense of wellbeing.
Our role in enhancing biodiversity
That is why Leonardo is taking decisive and introducing sustainable initiatives throughout the global business. Across our UK sites, we are taking steps to protect and enhance biodiversity. These include:
- High-level biodiversity assessments using the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool for all UK sites to identify key biodiversity areas and species in proximity to our sites.
- Working with the Wildlife Trust to conduct on-site assessments at our Southampton and Yeovil sites to identify key habitats and identify measures to enhance biodiversity.
- Hosting events on our sites and online to raise awareness of biodiversity during Sustainability Week and on World Environment Day.
- Reducing waste across our sites through initiatives such as our:
- Coffee cup project in Yeovil has seen single-use cup reduce by 71%
- Olio partnership – where unused food from sites is donated to the community – has led to a saving of 793,000 litres of water.
- Taking action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions – a driver of biodiversity loss – and working towards our UK Net Zero targets and Group SBTi commitment.
Additionally, many of our sites have been working to enhancing biodiversity proactively; from taking part in No Mow May, to creating a Reflection Garden in Yeovil and a Wildflower Meadow in Luton. Building on the successful wormery project in Basildon, on-site wormeries are due to be delivered to our Edinburgh, Luton and Southampton sites.
Earlier this month, a team of Leonardo staff, alongside the Green Task Force and military veterans working at Carma, planted 4,000 saplings near Newbury, creating habitats and food sources for nature. This takes our total for the year to 10,000 saplings, following a similar project to create hedgerows in Wales in spring 2024.
Ben Knight, Leonardo UK’s Head of Sustainability, explained: “Every business, person and community is connected to biodiversity in some way. Whether that’s the water you drink, the food you eat or the materials you use. It’s key we understand how we protect what’s already there and how we then look to restore what we have lost.
“As well as the sustainability initiatives in our UK sites, we are looking at how we maximise use of our technology to support major environmental programmes. Leonardo’s thermal cameras continue to be used in BBC nature documentaries, while we also have sensors on NASA satellites monitoring phytoplankton from space which is so important since phytoplankton captures 40% of our CO2 and produces 50% of our oxygen globally.”
