ELC Electroconsult S.p.A.
Environmental assessment, field surveys and biodiversity monitoring for infrastructure projects.
Working together.
Biodiversity Lab’s applied collaboration with the Italian engineering consultancy ELC connects ecological field expertise, Earth observation and technical planning with environmental assessment of international infrastructure projects.
In Nepal, Giovanni Bacaro has supported the Tanahu Hydropower Project since 2020 as International Forest Expert and Biodiversity Expert, developing forest and watershed plans and contributing to mitigation, compensation and biodiversity-offset discussions.
In the Lesotho Highlands, his completed April–December 2025 assignment as Plant Diversity Expert addressed preliminary and environmental impact studies, high-resolution satellite habitat classification, wetland distribution and field validation. The project location and confidential technical details are not disclosed.
Since 2024, Giovanni Bacaro has also served as International Biodiversity Key Expert on the Lae Kumbhi hydropower consultancy near Subulussalam, Sumatra, coordinating the Biodiversity Action Plan, Critical Habitat Assessment, mitigation hierarchy, satellite-derived habitat mapping with field validation, and connectivity-informed biodiversity offset planning.
Additional documented work includes ecological assessment associated with the Dudhkoshi hydropower project in Nepal.
ELC co-funds the 42nd-cycle UniTS PhD position “Next-Generation EIA: a Mechanistic Framework to Quantify Pressures, Ecological Responses, Outcomes and Offset Requirements”, supervised by Giovanni Bacaro. Gaia Foltran has been selected and is scheduled to begin the programme in November 2026.
Where we connect.
- Tanahu Hydropower, Nepal (2020–present): international forestry and biodiversity expertise
- Forest and watershed management plans, biomass removal, field missions and local-expert coordination
- Lesotho Highlands (April–December 2025): Plant Diversity Expert in an international hydropower environmental assessment team
- High-resolution satellite habitat classification, wetland mapping and field validation
- Lae Kumbhi, Sumatra (2024–present): International Biodiversity Key Expert, Critical Habitat Assessment and Biodiversity Action Plan
- Ground-validated satellite land-use mapping, habitat connectivity analysis, mitigation hierarchy and offset strategy
- Additional ecological assessment and consultancy in Nepal
- Co-funding of UniTS BEA PhD 2026–2029: Next-Generation EIA (incoming researcher Gaia Foltran)