Sussex LNP presentation

1. Carbon Management in a Water
Utility – Southern Water
Sussex LNP Carbon Workshop
Emma Bennett, Southern Water Carbon Manager
May 2020

2. Our business
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3. Southern Water & Climate Change
- context
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 We are a regulated utility that provides essential services which are sensitive
to climate and weather
 We have a long history of planning on delivering water supplies in a
changing environment which includes climate change scenarios (Adaptation)
 We have reduced our footprint by investing in renewable energy and
addressing efficiencies (Mitigation)
 We have been recording our operational emissions since 2008 and have a
good understanding of our footprint
However we need to do more in this Climate Emergency…..

4. How we account for carbon
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 Activity (e.g electricity use) * emission factor (e.g. 0.23 kg CO2e per kWh)
= carbon emissions
CO2 equivalent: Different greenhouse gases trap different amounts of heat in
the atmosphere, a quantity known as the global warming potential. Carbon
dioxide equivalent is a way of comparing emissions from all greenhouse gases,
not just carbon dioxide.
Methane is 25 x more potent than CO2
Nitrous oxide is 300 x more potent than CO2

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6. Make up of our emissions
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2018-19 Summary
Drinking Water,
46 ,
23%
Sewage, 98 ,
49%
Sludge, 41 ,
20%
Admin, 1 ,
1% Transport, 14 ,
7%
200 Kt

7. Target Net Zero Carbon by 2030
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 We have pledged to meet net zero carbon emissions by 2030 as a sector
 The sector is collaborating and sharing skills and knowledge in order to
develop a route map this year
 We will plan our pathway to net zero

8. Net Zero Carbon
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‘Net zero emissions are achieved when anthropogenic
emissions of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere are
balanced by anthropogenic removals over a specified
period.’ (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,
IPCC)

9. Residual emissions: Our interest in carbon
sequestration & offsetting…
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Residual
emissions will
require offsetting

10.  Emissions Reduction/ AVOID:
Direct GHG reductions
(operational practice, technology)
 Netting Off/ MITIGATE:
renewable energy generation
exported
 Carbon Offsets/Insets
Hierarchy
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11. Offsetting
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Additionality Perpetuity Verification Maintenance
Projects can include:
• Avoided emissions (renewable energy, energy efficiency)
• Sequestration (planting trees, other biosequestration, reducing
deforestation, land use change, physical capture of carbon)

12. Insetting
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 Reduction occurs within boundary or sphere of influence such as
supply chain
 Possibility of obtaining credit earlier?
 Ensures more reliable, long term control
 Requires effort and development and maintenance
 Needs to stand up to scrutiny and verification and be able to be
included in footprinting
 Collaborative – who owns reduction?

13. Summary
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 Offsetting/Insetting have a role to play to address residual emissions but is
the bottom of the net zero hierarchy
 Some carbon reduction accredited initiatives do not allow offsetting within
the reduction plan
 We would look to offset towards the end of the decade (2030)
 We hope to see innovative ways of offsetting/insetting for local initiatives
such as blue carbon

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Thank you for watching