Developing Net-Zero and Carbon Reduction Strategies

Why We All Need to Develop Net-Zero Strategies

In order to meet the challenge of keeping the average global temperature rise to 1.5 to 2.0 degree Centigrade as agreed as a must achieve target for all nations in the Paris Agreement to avoid climate disaster, we must all participate in decarbonising how we live, work and make things and get to net zero as quickly as practical.
In November 2021, the UK government hosted the 26th United Nation Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. COP 26 opened a platform to discover and invest in better delivery systems for cleaner and greener energy, and a commitment was made to care for the environment.This has given rise to the invesztment into net-zero carbon projects.

The UK government is finalising approval of legislation with ambitious targets of 68% reduction in GHG emission by 2030 and 78% reduction in GHG emissions by 2035.  To achieve these ambitious targets to avoid a climate disaster, we must aim to get to zero carbon emission as quickly as possible.   In order to do this, we need to deploy energy efficiency measures where possible, implement renewable energy sources and must develop and implement breakthrough and innovative technologies to decarbonise how we live, work and make things.  The UK organisations, therefore, carry an important and urgent responsibility to help avert a climate disaster by developing and implementing net-zero strategies as quickly as possible. 

How we Develop Net-Zero Strategies

At Pro Enviro we use a number of innovative processes and online tools to develop your tailored net-zero carbon strategy.  These include but is not limited to:

• Site energy efficiency review by our expert consultants 
• Macro and Micro metering of all energy intensive equipment
• Application of online diagnostics tools  Enviro Track and CFAR to assess the energy, carbon and GHG emissions of the whole of your value chain
• Developing net-zero carbon strategies to reduce emissions from Scopes 1 and 2
• Working with you and your partners in your supply chain and the whole of your value chain to implement Scope 3 carbon and GHG emissions reduction
•  Developing Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)
• Developing ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems where appropriate

Steps to achieve your Net Zero goals

Step 1 - Establish your scope

Before starting any carbon reduction journey, it is important to understand which part of your business is responsible for your emissions within your operations and infrastructure. This is usually challenging, especially for large, multi-site organisations with extensive supply chains – how do you know what to include in your scope? 

As your carbon consultants, we help you review your existing business operations to define the organisational boundaries and establish where the responsibility lies for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions across your business operational infrastructure. As part of this assessment, we will typically conduct both building and process audits of your operations to gain an understanding of your Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. 

Step 2 - Set a baseline

Once your Scopes are established, we will calculate a Greenhouse Gas Footprint and work with you to set a realistic baseline for your operations, considering anomalies from periods where normal business operations have been affected. 

For each item in Scopes 1, 2, and 3, we will use the available source data to determine an appropriate methodology for calculating the associated carbon emissions.

Step 3 - Determine your targets

When starting your carbon reduction strategy, it is important to consider your organisation’s business objectives. If you have any sustainability or net zero-based commitments in place already, this will help shape the timeline of your journey. 

We will determine your target, ensuring it is appropriate and realistic for your organisation. Which means it should be achievable. If required, the target can be Science-Based (detailed below) to support your overall carbon emissions aims. This can then be submitted for formal validation by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). 

We then provide you with a final strategy document that sets out specific GHG targets, actions to take to achieve them, and a community strategy for engaging stakeholders and relevant parties. 

Step 4 - Track your progress

Constant monitoring, reporting, and celebrating the success of your carbon reduction achievements is equally as important as the journey to get there. We will provide ongoing GHG reporting against your targets so you can continue to see and share your plan’s progress and success. 

We will conduct a project review on the initiatives implemented from the Carbon Reduction Strategy report and deliver an annual scope review with suggestions on where to realign your strategy against changes in your organisation's structure and business aims.