Promoting Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use

Human activities are believed to have taken many species to the brink of extinction, rapidly upsetting the balance of ecosystems. Recognizing richly diverse ecosystems as a foundation of its business, the Tokyo Gas Group has drawn up the Guidelines for Promoting Biodiversity Conservation to preserve biodiversity and its sustainable use and ensure the continuity of our business. Specifically, we monitor the status of each segment of the value chain and work to mitigate the impact on ecosystems while also engaging in forest conservation efforts at our Nagano Tokyo Gas Forest along with other activities.

Carrying Out Environmental Impact Assessment

Extracting natural gas and constructing LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminals or power stations have a far from negligible impact on the landscape and natural environment. The Tokyo Gas Group has reviewed the state of biodiversity conservation at natural gas wells abroad and confirmed that consideration is given to local ecosystems. In Japan, we conduct the required environmental assessments for the construction of LNG terminals and power plants and cooperate with nongovernmental organizations to undertake such activities as managing green spaces with due consideration for ecosystems. Taking into account the growing risks facing watersheds, we assessed the impact of drainage on ecosystems at all our LNG terminals with the use of the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool, and we did not find problems.
 

We are working to conserve biodiversity by accurately understanding the impact of each segment of our value chain, from natural gas procurement to transportation, production and supply.

Procurement

 

Measures at LNG Suppliers

In gas fields from which Tokyo Gas procures LNG, our suppliers implement measures to conserve biodiversity, such as protecting endangered species and forests as well as by engaging in afforestation and protecting marine ecosystems. In our LNG project in Indonesia, for example, we are striving to protect an endangered species of painted terrapin called the sea tuntung and restore mangroves. Our LNG project in Qatar involves relocating coral reefs from a pipeline construction area to a new environment. We have also been able to confirm that the coral reefs were successfully transplanted to that new location and have showed signs of regrowth. In our LNG project in Australia, we provide the Industry-Government Environmental Meta-database (IGEM), which comprises oil and gas business operators, the government, research organizations and others such as investors, with data collected in monitoring surveys and other activities as a means for sharing environmental knowledge.

 

 

Measures during LNG Transport

Concerns have been raised that the discharge of ballast water (seawater taken into a vessel as a counterweight to maintain stability after LNG is unloaded) adversely affects ecosystems by introducing foreign aquatic organisms into areas where they are not typically found. Although we have already taken some steps, such as discharging ballast water on the high seas, we are also installing ballast water treatment equipment on LNG carriers that we own and operate, including those under construction, to reduce the impact on ecosystems, under the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water, adopted by the International Maritime Organization, that went into effect in September 2017.
 

Production

We are greening the sites of the Sodegaura, Negishi, Ohgishima and Hitachi LNG Terminals by only partially mowing grass fields and curbing the use of herbicides, and our staff also plant trees.
In addition, we collaborate with the Jumoku Kankyo Network Society, a nonprofit organization, in conducting research on birds, insects and plants. Thinning trees on the basis of proven research and stacking eco-piles of rotting timber and other matter helps areas with diverse species of flowers with a positive impact on insects. We have confirmed that Japanese rice fish, an endangered species, can breed naturally in artificial ponds at our LNG terminals.
 

Supply

While we previously used pit sand to refill sites excavated for gas pipeline work, reducing the use of pit sand mitigates environmental destruction around quarries and reduces the number of sand-carrying vehicles and CO₂ emissions. The Tokyo Gas Group lays pipes in shallower, narrower trenches than conventional installations and adopts a non-open cut construction method, which does not dig up roads, to reduce the volume of excavated soil. Also, we are increasing the use of improved soil and recycled road surface materials as well as a new temporary backfill for refill work to reduce the amount of pit sand used.

 

Recycling Excavated Soil

Pipeline work using Eco-balls, a new kind of temporary backfill
 

Offices

We plant trees on rooftops and create green curtains at our offices and corporate museums. We have greened the rooftop of the Gas Science Museum and point to this example in communicating with customers as well as local elementary schools and other community groups. At the TG Kumagaya Building, plants growing against the walls and near the windows provide shade to lower indoor temperatures.

 

Greened rooftop of the Gas Science Museum

 

We participate in forest preservation at the Nagano Tokyo Gas Forest, which opened in 2005, and the Mori Sato Umi Tsunagu (Connecting Forests, Villages and Ocean) Project, which started on June 1, 2017, to examine the connections among forests, villages and the sea through environmental activities, the Donguri (Acorn) Project in partnership with customers and the Watashi no Mori (My Forest) Project. These are all part of our efforts to address climate change and conserve biodiversity.

Biodiversity Conservation Activities at Nagano Tokyo Gas Forest

We have been monitoring the environment at the Nagano Tokyo Gas Forest since 2007 together with a local nonprofit organization as an effort to conserve biodiversity. We have confirmed a total of 428 species of living organisms in the forest (324 plants, 26 mammals and 78 birds).
Looking ahead, we will apply information on ways to take care of trees and address the rise and fall of animal populations as part of future forest preservation and biodiversity conservation plans.

 

Environmental and Social Contribution Activities in the Mori Sato Umi Tsunagu (Connecting Forests, Villages and Ocean) Project