In a global context marked by climate change, cities face increasing challenges such as heat waves, pollution episodes, and the risk of floods. Despite the rains of the last year having allowed to leave behind one of the worst droughts ever experienced, Aigües de Barcelona continues to execute infrastructure adaptation works that allow guaranteeing water resilience in future episodes of water scarcity. In turn, according to the report on Assessment of Risks and Impacts derived from Climate Change in Spain, extreme precipitation events will be, as a consequence of climate change, more frequent and of greater intensity.
Within the framework of World Environment Day, Aigües de Barcelona reaffirms its commitment to the fight against climate change and the protection of natural resources with a sustainable, innovative, and future-oriented management model. With almost 160 years of experience in the management of the integral water cycle, the company promotes an ambitious roadmap to achieve the decarbonization of its activities and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
This commitment has been endorsed by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which has validated the company's climate objectives and has made it the first company in the water sector worldwide with Net-Zero objectives approved by this international body. In coherence with this milestone, during 2025 Aigües de Barcelona has developed its Decarbonization Plan, aligned with scientific criteria and global demands for emission reduction, and a governance to guarantee its deployment.
The company works on several key axes to reduce its carbon footprint. In the energy field, the company has been acquiring 100% renewable electricity for years and has opted for electrification, both of industrial processes and its vehicle fleet.
To these milestones, during 2026, the commissioning of a new photovoltaic solar production facility at the Gavà-Viladecans wastewater treatment plant, and key projects for energy self-sufficiency, such as a new sludge platform for biogas production with sludge from the Besòs wastewater treatment plant and the construction of an anaerobic digestion system at the Moncada wastewater treatment plant, are added. Both projects exemplify the company's efforts to advance towards a circular economy model.
During 2025, 100% of the sludge from the more than 240,000 tons produced was valorized, mainly in composting processes or agricultural application. This approach is reinforced with new infrastructures and strategic projects, such as those mentioned above, which will maximize their use and circularity.
Beyond CO₂, Aigües de Barcelona also acts on other greenhouse gases with a significant impact on warming, such as methane and nitrous oxide. In this area, innovative initiatives are promoted, such as the MEDAR project, aimed at detecting and mitigating methane leaks and diffuse emissions, using advanced monitoring and quantification technologies. Another example of innovation applied to climate change mitigation is the NITROUS initiative, a project in which the company evaluates a model to reduce in real time the generation of nitrous oxide emissions at the Vallvidrera wastewater treatment plant.
Regarding biodiversity, the company maintains its commitment through a strategic approach that integrates the protection of natural heritage with its activity. The Biodiversity Plan establishes a framework for action to preserve and regenerate ecosystems linked to the water cycle, promoting the incorporation of ecological criteria in the management of facilities and the development of new projects with the environment.
This plan is articulated in different lines of action, such as the naturalization of integral water cycle infrastructures, the integration of biodiversity in new water infrastructures, the promotion of projects in ecosystems linked to the water cycle, and awareness and training in ecological management.
Promoting local biodiversity in industrial environments increases species richness and creates refuges for fauna and flora in areas usually little naturalized
Among recent initiatives, renaturalization actions in various facilities stand out, as well as environmental improvement projects and awareness actions. Some examples of these initiatives are the renaturalization of the pond at the Baix Llobregat wastewater treatment plant, the creation of pollinator gardens at the Sant Feliu and Moncada wastewater treatment plants, as well as the installation of an insect hotel at the latter.
These actions respond to a clear objective: to foster local biodiversity in industrial environments, which increases species richness and creates refuges for fauna and flora in areas usually not very naturalized. These initiatives also contribute to improving the ecological connectivity of the territory, as they convert sanitation facilities into true stepping stones between spaces and favor the creation of urban and peri-urban green corridors. From the point of view of ecosystem services, the actions enhance the pollination of local flora, contribute to the natural control of pests, and improve the environmental quality of the facilities' surroundings.
In short, Aigües de Barcelona is moving with determination towards a more sustainable, resilient, and efficient model, in which decarbonization, the circular economy, and environmental integration are fundamental pillars. At a key moment for the planet, the company reaffirms its role as an active agent in the ecological transition and in the construction of more livable and sustainable cities.