1. Introduction
The Earth’s climate is in danger. Global heating is already impacting communities around the world and is directly linked with society’s emissions of greenhouse gases.
Our carbon policy addresses the challenge to reduce carbon emissions. As part of our role to protect and enhance the environment, we are committed to reducing carbon.
We recognise the critical importance of reducing our impact on the climate. Our water and wastewater services are affected by the climate change impacts of extreme droughts, floods, temperatures, and sea level rise.
A low carbon future will prevent the worst effects of climate impact. We understand that by integrating carbon footprints into our decision-making process, we can ensure a more sustainable, low carbon future.
We will collaborate with our partners, customers, stakeholders and the wider water sector in order to advance carbon reduction.
2. What we are doing:
- Committing to the Water UK sector commitment of reaching net zero by 2030.
- Purchasing 100% renewable backed power from our energy suppliers.
- Generating renewable power with a target to increase our capacity to generate from 16% of our power needs to 24% by 2025.
- Reporting our emissions using the water industry standard workbook (CAW) after external verification.
- Expanding our carbon accounting processes in order to measure the impact of our capital delivery programme.
- Assessing the natural capital of our estate in order to optimise the environmental benefit, this includes supporting increased carbon storage on our land.
- Actively supporting collaborative research, development & innovation with the water sector research organisation, UKWIR.
- Engaging with customers in order to understand their environmental priorities.
3. What we will do:
- Deliver Net Zero by 2030 whilst keeping bills affordable and continuing to protect the most vulnerable.
- Adapt our capital programme decision making to incorporate sustainable low carbon and nature-based opportunities.
- Drive significant carbon reduction with our construction delivery partners and throughout the supply chain.
- Ensure our measurement and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions continues to meet the latest industry standards and regulatory requirements.
- Build our expertise in the skills needed to reduce our carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions.
- Engage with customers, stakeholders and partners in order to maximise opportunities to reduce carbon and increase societal benefit.
- Manage any offsetting responsibly and transparently in line with our net zero target and meet good ethical and environmental offsetting standards.
- Work towards SBTi accreditation in order to align our reduction pathway with the latest climate science target of less than 1.5oC.