Preserving biodiversity is an integral part of Total's commitment to sustainable development.

The Group is conscious of the potential impact both of its activities, and of the products it manufactures, on the environment in general and on biodiversity in particular, and is committed to taking all necessary measures to minimise that impact. These measures are based on the following principles:

1. Minimising the impact of our activities on biodiversity throughout the life of our installations (from construction phase through to site rehabilitation at the completion of activities) and throughout the lifecycle of our products.

2. For all new projects as well as major modifications to existing installations the Group's Environmental Management System requires baseline surveys and environmental and social impact assessments. Both these studies are required to address the issue of preserving biodiversity.

The approval procedure for projects ensures that the impact on biodiversity is taken into account at the outset, and that appropriate monitoring is carried out during operations.

3. Total acknowledges that carrying out its activities in zones where biological diversity is particularly rich or fragile requires particular care and attention. Such zones are typically:

• protected areas (as defined by UNESCO or international conventions such as RAMSAR)
• ecosystems in the inter-tropical zone (forests, coral reefs, deltas)
• extreme environments (deserts, Arctic zones, mangroves, deep offshore zones)

The Group believes that decisions regarding potential projects in these areas are best established on a case by case basis drawing on risk evaluation and studies which take into account all the complex factors of sustainable development, with a constructive attitude based on open dialogue with interested third parties.

4. Total strives to provide information and raise awareness among its employees, clients, and the general public by helping to enhance their knowledge of ecosystems and the species that live in them.
To this end Total is involved in a number of research projects, via its research centres, the Group Foundation for Biodiversity and the Sea, and a number of partnerships.

Conscious of being unable to address these issues alone, Total will continue to develop appropriate partnerships at all levels in order to obtain the desired performance in this field.