Introduced in 2022, the Coastal Enhancement Program by AES is a long-term initiative focused on environmental and social benefits. Through the program, AES collaborates with various partners to pursue goals around restoring nearby wetland ecosystems and enhancing accessibility of environmental education for underserved communities.
Company Name: The AES Corporation (“AES”)
Project Name: AES’ Coastal Enhancement Program (Partnership)
Industry: Energy
Project Location: Southern California Region, USA
Project Partners: Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority; TreePeople; Bolsa Chica Conservancy
AES’ Coastal Enhancement Program is a multi-year, voluntary environmental-benefits program in which AES partners with stakeholders to advance shared objectives of restoring local wetlands and improving access to environmental education opportunities for disadvantaged communities.
The main goals of the AES’ Coastal Enhancement Program are to:
This program illustrates the “Inclusive & Equitable” and “Safeguarding & Enhancing” principles under the Principles for Corporate Climate Resilience Leadership. AES worked closely with community leaders, government, and other stakeholders to co-develop and launch a voluntary social impact program aimed at delivering benefits to disadvantaged communities (DACs) in Southern California. The Coastal Enhancement Program also aligns with AES’ global social impact framework, which guides the company’s approach to community investments.
Project Team: Corporate Affairs & Impact, Ethics & Compliance, Local Leadership Team in California, Environmental, Health and Safety
In 2022, AES launched the Coastal Enhancement Program as part of the extension of its plants’ operations in California in addition to existing mandatory environmental mitigation activities. The first phase of the $1.5 million voluntary environmental benefits program partnered with the multi-agency Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, as well as environmental nonprofits, TreePeople and the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, to restore wetlands and expand environmental education opportunities for local communities in Southern California.
Through engagement with local communities, government, and program partners, AES identified key activities to ensure that the grant program would advance shared objectives in disadvantaged communities that historically do not benefit from these types of programs and are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. AES co-designed the program with its partners and stakeholders with flexibility and equity in mind to address some of the community’s pressing challenges, in alignment with the company’s values and global social impact framework.
The first phase of the Coastal Enhancement Program concluded in August 2024, showcasing initial successes including wetlands improvements, planning for the restoration of an additional 100 acres, and involving over 8,400 students from disadvantaged communities in outreach activities, exposure trips, and classroom projects. The program also strengthened environmental stewardship among youth, families, and community-based organizations serving disadvantaged communities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California.
The program has now expanded with Phase 2.0 (2024–26), which began in early 2024 with the same goals of restoring more local wetlands and increasing access to environmental education in more communities. The program’s second phase incorporates feedback from program partners, communities, and stakeholders, and builds on the first phase activities with an added focus on disadvantaged communities—including environmental justice communities—near two AES facilities: Alamitos and Huntington Beach. New components of the program include support for Tribal Advisory Groups and tribal initiatives related to environmental conservation, as well as improved access to workforce development opportunities for members of disadvantaged communities to pursue careers in environmental sciences.