■Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use
Many species are facing imminent extinction due to human activities, and natural ecosystems around the world are being disrupted at an alarming rate. Tokyo Gas Group considers the realization of rich ecosystems to be one of our important business bases in order to protect the global environment while sustaining our business, and has formulated its Guidelines for Promoting Biodiversity Conservation. Specifically, we are monitoring conditions along each value chain to mitigate their impact on ecosystems, practicing forest conservation at our own Nagano Tokyo Gas Forest, and engaging in a variety of other initiatives.

In fiscal 2016, we added an item on biodiversity conservation to our Environmental Policies, and we will be both ramping up our efforts in this area and adopting a more global approach to protecting biodiversity as our own business activities become more globalized.

▶　Impacts on biodiversity and responses along LNG value chain　(PDF: 880KB) 

We are monitoring conditions and working to conserve biodiversity at every stage of our value chains, from procurement of natural gas to transportation, production, and supply.

■Procurement
Efforts being made at the site of procurement
The companies from whom we procure LNG (liquefied natural gas) are taking a variety of measures to protect biodiversity in their gas fields, including protection of endangered wildlife, forest conservation, afforestation, and protection of marine life. In the case of our LNG project in Indonesia, for example, action is being taken to protect an endangered species of painted terrapin called the Sea Tuntung and a mangrove restoration program is also underway. Similarly at an LNG project in Qatar, a coral reef growing in an area of pipeline construction was relocated, and it has been confirmed that the coral has reattached and is regenerating in its new environment.

At LNG projects in Australia, meanwhile, data generated by monitoring surveys and other studies is supplied to the Industry-Government Environmental Meta-database (IGEM), a collaborative research portal formed by the oil and gas industries, government, research bodies, and other investors, in order to facilitate sharing of environmental knowledge.
 
Making LNG transportation more environmentally friendly
Concerns have been raised about the possible impact on ecosystems of aquatic organisms contained in the ballast water (seawater used to provide additional weight when a vessel is not fully laden) discharged by vessels at ports when they are loaded with LNG. Tokyo Gas is already working to address the problem by, for example, having its tankers replace their ballast water on the open seas. Due to the entry into force in September 2017 of the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and Sediment, 2004, adopted by the International Maritime Organization, however, LNG tankers owned and operated by Tokyo Gas (including those under construction) will be progressively fitted with ballast water treatment systems to further reduce the impact on ecosystems.
 

■Production
We are creating more green space at our LNG terminals at Sodegaura, Negishi, Ohgishima, and Hitachi by allowing vegetation in grassy areas to grow more and cutting back on our use of herbicides. Employees are also planting trees themselves.
We aim to create green areas that blend with the local natural habitat, and to this end the Jumoku Kankyo Network Society (NPO) has been helping us survey local bird, insect, and plant life. The results of these surveys are used to determine where thinning and other forest maintenance work is required, while the stacking of fallen dead wood and other matter to form “eco-piles” has led to an increase in flower varieties and is having a beneficial impact on insect life. Japanese rice fish, which have been designated an endangered species, have also been found to be breeding naturally in artificial ponds at our LNG terminals. 
 

Employees planting trees

■Supply
We are reducing the amount of excavated (residual) soil produced by gas pipeline laying work. For example, we lay pipes in shallower, narrower trenches than used to be the norm, and use non-open cut construction (a method of laying pipelines without digging up road surfaces). 
Holes are conventionally refilled using pit sand. We have reduced the excavation of pit sand by, for example, refilling holes with the soil that was excavated from them, using improved soil and recycled road surface materials as refilling materials, and using a new type of backfill to temporarily refill holes that will be soon be excavated again.

Pipeline construction using non-open-cut methods

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The amount of soil excavated is reduced by a method that allows gas pipes to be laid without digging up road surfaces. (The photo shows a shaft through which gas pipes are thrust into place)

Pipeline construction using "Eco-balls," a new type of temporary backfill

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Pit sand use is reduced by employing a new kind of temporary backfill called "Eco-balls" to refill holes that will soon be excavated again.

Recycling Excavated Soil

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Soil generated from gas pipeline work (excavated soil) is processed at the soil improvement center, and reused as refilling soil. This helps to protect the ecosystems of mountains and other environments.


■Offices
We are planting trees on rooftops and creating "green curtains" at our offices and corporate museums.

Rooftop greenification at the Gas Science Museum

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The museum is used to promote effective communication with customers and local communities, including their elementary schools.

Green curtain of bitter gourd plants at the Kumagaya Building

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We protect woodland at Nagano Tokyo Gas Forest (opened in 2005) and conserve biodiversity through projects undertaken in partnership with our customers such as the Donguri (Acorn) Project and the "My Forest" Project. We also support biodiversity conservation groups through the Tokyo Gas Environment Support Fund and our involvement in the Keidanren Committee on Nature Conservation. 

 

■Conservation of biodiversity at Nagano Tokyo Gas Forest
We engage in ongoing forest conservation work, including thinning and pruning, in order to contribute to the environment and prevent global warming by developing woodlands. In February 2016, the project was registered under the J-Credit Scheme.* We are also working in partnership with local NPOs on flora and fauna surveys, such as surveys of mammal habitat conditions, in order to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.
* A program by which reductions and sequestrations of greenhouse gases such as CO₂ are certified by the Japanese government as “credits.”

Timeline of Flora and Fauna Surveys

Survey year	Survey details
2007	Mammal fauna survey (confirmed presence of 16 species of mammals)
2008	Flora survey (confirmed presence of 324 species of plants)
2009	Ornithological survey (confirmed presence of 61 species of birds)
2010	Dietary analysis of Japanese marten from fecal remains
2011	Stationary camera survey (confirmed presence of 30 species of wildlife)
2012	Stationary camera survey (confirmed presence of 29 species of wildlife)
2013	Stationary camera survey (confirmed presence of 21 species of wildlife)
2014	Stationary camera survey (confirmed presence of 20 species of wildlife)
2015	Stationary camera survey (confirmed presence of 25 species of wildlife)
2016	Stationary camera survey (confirmed presence of 24 species of wildlife)

Changes in Animals Recorded between 2007 and 2016