OHL, present at the XII Edition of Conama, focusing on a low-carbon economy

The OHL Group has participated in the National Environmental Conference (Conama 2014), a two-yearly event, the XII Edition of which was held between 24-27 November in Madrid, under the claim A low-carbon economy, used as a framework to hold the Latin American Meeting for Sustainable Development.

The National Environmental Conference, of which Juan-Miguel Villar Mir, chairman of OHL, is an honorary member, has been arranged, as usual ever since it was created in 1992, by the Conama Foundation, an independent non-profit organization supported by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, various state bodies and different sector companies, to include OHL.

As in previous editions, the Group has been represented with its own stand, providing visitors with first-hand information about the company’s nearly ten-year commitment to a lower carbon print; and its adhesion to various national and international platforms that launch initiatives aimed at implementing and consolidating a low-carbon economy.

Carbon print

OHL has played a relevant role in various initiatives. Of interest was the round table entitled Challenges and Opportunities for Carbon Print Leadership, in which Luis García-Linares, general corporate manager of the OHL Group, who was in charge of inaugurating the act along with Susana Magro, head of the Spanish Office for Climatic Change, dependent on the Ministry of Agriculture and the Environment, and Manuel Niño, general secretary of Infrastructures of the Ministry of Public Works.

During his speech, Luis García-Linares highlighted the importance of “laying down networks in sustainability and environmental matters”, as well as OHL’s commitment to encourage and participate in designing strategies for a lower carbon print. In turn, Susana Magro showed her gratitude for initiatives like this event, and invited the business sector to complete the cycle proposed from the Office to Fight against Climatic Change, based on the calculation-reduction-compensation formula.

Furthermore, Manuel Niño recalled that all companies, through innovation and investment, should be committed to a lower carbon print in order to “preserve the planet and reduce the high costs derived from maintenance and environmental protection”, and highlighted that in order to achieve this challenge, in profitability terms, means a good positioning on the market.

Next, Frances Way, co-manager of CDP’s Operating Officer Chief Programs, an international non-profit organization that provides companies with the largest global data system available to measure, divulge and manage environmental impact and strategies, made a brief presentation about the role played by the organization in the fight against climatic change.

This presentation triggered a debate, directed by Mª Luz Castilla, Sustainability and Climatic Change partner in PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) entailing the participation of Mark Bennett, Green Business officer of the Dublin City Council; Arnoldo Matus Kramer, Resilience manager of Mexico City; Mónica Chao, corporate manager for the Environment and Sustainability, NH Hoteles Group; Eduardo Fernández Rodríguez, member of the Climatic Change Department of Gas Natural Fenosa; and Rosa Ruiz, member of the Environmental Department, Acerinox.

Throughout the four days during which Conama 2014 was held, OHL has participated in other activities as speaker. Such is the case of the round tables entitled Towards the 2015 Paris COP* and Mobility plans at work, in which the following persons participated, on behalf of the OHL Group: Sonia Moreno, Head of the Corporate Service for Quality and the Environment; and Verónica del Toro, Mobility Manager, General Services and Organization Directorate.

Furthermore, OHL presented the following technical communications: 50 MW biomass energy generation plant. Huelva, characterized by being the largest in Southern Europe; Sustainability management in facility management, energy efficiency and healthcare services, Cooperation with CDP towards sustainable development; and System to control platform lighting intensity due to SAE location and tunnel signaling.

*COP: Conference of the Parties on Climate Change

Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, Isabel García Tejerina, between Ana Botella, Major of Madrid, and Manuel Villén, director of Innovation and Sustainability of OHL, during their visit to the stand.