Polenergia Supports the “Green Ribbon #ForthePlanet” Campaign

This year’s leitmotif of the #ForthePlanet activities is saving meadows, forests and seas. 5 June was marked by the official inauguration of the “Decade on Ecosystem Restoration”
established by the United Nations.

In line with the resolution adopted in 2019, the years 2021 and 2030 will be a decade that is going to stop the dramatic drop in biodiversity caused by the human activity and development of civilisation. As emphasised by the UN agendas responsible for such initiative, namely the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), excessive forest logging, regulation of rivers and construction of roads contribute to the destruction of the natural environment and thus are the greatest threat to the life on our planet. Our existence and its quality depends on whether we will be able to stop the degradation of ecosystems. The Restoration Generation may help with this. Therefore, thinking about everybody who wants to take care of the fate of the Earth, we set up the Re-Generation initiative. The better the condition of ecosystems, the healthier the planet and the people residing here.

Biodiversity and care for the future of our planet are a part of Polenergia’s DNA, investing in renewable energy sources. The Group is making sure that the development of its new
projects has no adverse impact on the elements of nature and local communities. It selects proper technologies, time of construction and carries out ongoing environmental supervision over the performed work. Yet this is not all: in the communes where investments are carried out and where the new facilities are located, with the support of local governments and communities, Polenergia is carrying out a programme consisting in expansion of the surface of green areas. It gradually increases the number of trees and bushes that are planted, sets up pocket parks and family gardens. Green areas are an excellent leisure and recreation venue for residents. At the same time, they are the breeding and feeding sites for many animal species. Furthermore, thanks to the plants that were planted, residents can breathe cleaner air, as the trees are neutralising pollution in the atmosphere and producing oxygen. They also regulate the local climate, in particular lower temperature.

Trees also have beneficial impact on the renewal of water resources and limitation of outflow of precipitation waters reducing the risk of flooding. With the use of their root systems, they extract and deactivate heavy metal compounds from the soil. Their role in our environment is huge.

On photovoltaic farms, Polenergia sows flower meadows, creating enclaves among agricultural mono-cultures used by pollinating insects. In 2020, the Company sowed 16 hectares of flower meadows, and together with the development of new projects in 2022, their surface area will increase by another 38 hectares – these are extensive sites given back to nature. The Group also installs bird nests for local bird populations and helps birds of prey survive.

The World Environment Day is the most important and one of the most widely celebrated events that make people aware of the challenges and environmental threats of our times. It
was established by the UN General Assembly at the Stockholm Conference in 1972 and is celebrated annually on June 5. On this day, one hundred countries around the world remind everybody that protecting our planet is our joint cause.