United Utilities has become the first UK water firm to receive the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) stamp of approval the company’s ambitious science-based emissions targets.

The SBTi defines and promotes best practice in science-based target setting and independently assesses companies’ targets.

Recognition from the SBTi – a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) - is widely accepted as providing the gold standard approval for emission reduction targets.

Science-based targets are in line with the latest climate science which states that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must halve from 2010 levels by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050 to prevent the most damaging effects of climate change.

As part of its long-standing focus on carbon reduction, United Utilities made the following six carbon pledges in 2020, include the company’s commitment to the science-based approach.

• Pledge 1 - Commitment to meet science based emission targets (scope 1 & 2) 42 per cent reduction by 2030; 100 per cent reduction by 2050
• Pledge 2 - Commitment that 100 per cent of electricity used will be renewable by (the end of) 2021
• Pledge 3 - 100 per cent green fleet by 2028
• Pledge 4 - Restoration of a further 1000 hectares of peatland by 2030
• Pledge 5 - Plant 1 million trees creating 550 hectares of woodland by 2030
• Pledge 6 - Set a scope 3 science based target by (the end of) 2021.

The company is pushing beyond the traditional focus on energy to cover its whole carbon footprint and taking action across its fleet, land and supply chain.

The four specific targets that the SBTi has now independently validated are:

1. To reduce absolute scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions by 42 per cent by 2030 from a 2020 base year.

2. To increase annual sourcing of renewable electricity from 95 per cent in 2020 to 100 per cent by 2023.

3. That 66 per cent of suppliers by emissions within scope 3 capital goods, will have science-based targets by 2025.

4. To reduce absolute scope 3 GHG emissions covering all other scope 3 categories by 25 per cent by 2030 from a 2020 base year.

United Utilities’ environment planning and innovation director, Jo Harrison, commented:

“The targets covering greenhouse gas emissions from operations (scopes 1 and 2) are consistent with reductions required to keep global warming to 1.5°C, the most ambitious goal of the Paris Agreement.

“Having targets based on climate-science means we know how much and how quickly we need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to play our part in preventing the worst impacts of climate change.

“Validation from the SBTi provides independent expert verification that our targets and performance are following global best practice.”

In 2020/21 United Utilities generated 205GWh of green electricity, providing around 25 per cent of its electricity needs. Nearly all of its remaining electricity came from renewable sources.

It is also trialling alternative fuels such as Bio-CNG (Compressed natural gas) and HVO (Hydrotreated vegetable oil) to replace fossil fuels used in treatment processes. Cleaner fuels for transport will have the added benefit of reducing emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOx) which help to improve air quality for local communities.

The water and wastewater firm is already working with suppliers, such as Sapphire Utility Solutions, to roll out lower emission resolution vehicles. Its collaboration with Changemaker 3D will reduce the carbon impacts of construction projects through on-site 3D printing of made-to-measure objects from sustainable concrete.

With shares listed on the London Stock Exchange and the FTSE 100 Index, United Utilities is the UK’s largest listed water company and manages the regulated water and wastewater network in North West England.

Click here for more information about the Science Based Targets initiative