UK water companies have joined forces as part of the international Race to Zero campaign, pledging to deliver a net zero water supply for customers by 2030.
Water UK is the first industry trade body to be made just one of 20 official partners to the UNFCCC’s Race to Zero campaign, which aims to rally leadership across businesses, cities, regions and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery.
Anglian Water and Severn Trent have been confirmed as the first companies to join the campaign under the Water UK umbrella, building on the launch of the sector’s Net Zero 2030 Routemap in November last year. Designed to provide water companies with a framework on which to build their own net zero action plans, the Routemap estimates potential investments of £2-4bn into tackling the emissions associated with providing clean water to over 28 million homes and businesses.
Christine McGourty, Water UK Chief Executive, said: “The publication of the Net Zero 2030 Routemap was a major step forward for our sector so we’re incredibly proud to be taking this forward as the first industry trade body to join the Race to Zero campaign.
“Working in partnership with other businesses, government, and our regulators, we intend to deliver this plan decisively, openly and quickly, and look forward to sharing our experience with other infrastructure, utility and energy-intensive industries as we continue to tackle the threat of global climate change.”
The UK water industry was the first sector anywhere in the world to publish a comprehensive Routemap to achieve net zero on an industry-wide basis. It is estimated that water companies will prevent the emission of 10 million tonnes of greenhouse gases by reaching net zero two decades earlier than the UK Government’s legally binding target for 2050.
Nigel Topping, High Level Climate Champion for COP26, said: “Water UK has shone a light on the path to net zero for the water sector with a ground-breaking plan to deliver a net zero water supply for customers by 2030 – the world’s first sector-wide commitment of its kind. We’re delighted to welcome them as a partner of the Race to Zero campaign, and to catalyse ambitious climate action across the water sector as we race to COP26.”
To find out more about the Net Zero 2030 Routemap, go to www.water.org.uk/routemap2030.
