Environment and Sustainability

Aim: preparation of expert reports on technical and economic disputes with the public contracting bodies in relation to public service concessions for integrated water cycle and waste management.

The main tasks included:

• Gathering and review of documentation.
• Meetings with legal counsel to ascertain the litigation strategy.
• Preparation of expert report.
• Defense of the report in court.

Aim: Performance of an Environmental Risk Analysis, in accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Liability Law and its partial implementing regulations, of the project to reopen an open-cast iron mine, to be submitted to the competent public authority.

The main tasks included:

• Evaluation of the project to reopen the mine through review of the documentation and a visit to the mine.
• Preliminary identification of the hazards and initiating events associated with the reopening of the mine.
• Determination of the Basic Environmental Status of the area.
• HAZID and HAZOP meetings to confirm the hazards and initiating events (IE) identified and select the most representative ones.
• Working meetings to determine the likelihood of the risk scenarios occurring.
• Determination of accident scenarios and conditioning factors.
• Estimation of the amount of the required financial guarantee.

Aim: Integral management, with all parties involved (public authorities, third parties, operator, subcontractors, etc.), of a procedure concerning groundwater affected by historical metal contamination.

The main tasks included:

• Detailed technical study of the problem.
• Representation of and spokesperson for the company vis-á-vis the different parties affected/involved.
• Organization of meetings with the public authorities to take care of the administrative matters involved in managing the project and create a trusted communication framework between the parties.
• Identification and selection of the company tasked with designing and executing the environmental recovery and landscape restoration project.
• Supervision of all tasks and work to be performed.

Aim: technical and business advice to the consortium of companies led by AGBAR for the presentation of a bid in the largest tender process for management of the integrated water cycle to date in Spain.

The main tasks included:

• Technical due diligence review of the facilities and operating data provided.
• Appraisal of amounts and needs in connection with the required investments.
• Preparation of water demand projections.
• Validation of the hypotheses of the economic and financial model prepared for the bid.

Aim: performance of a detailed technical audit of 65 facilities of different types (landfills, mechanical/biological treatment plants, composting facilities, CDW treatment plants, anaerobic biodigestion, biogas recovery and electricity generation plants, etc.) for the management of solid urban waste throughout Portugal.

The main tasks included:

• Technical due diligence review of the facilities and operating data provided.
• Identification of deficiencies, breaches and malpractice in the management of the facilities.
• Establishment of areas for improvement and recommendations.

Aim: review of the environmental and social risks of energy projects in accordance with the IFC Performance Standards and the Equator Principles.

The main tasks included:

• Review of the environmental and social aspects of the projects prior to the financial close of the transaction.
• Preparation of a table identifying and providing a quantitative assessment of risks.
• Supervision of compliance with the Environmental and Social Monitoring Plans during the construction and subsequent operation of the plants.