Climate change

The water industry is one of the world’s most energy-intensive sectors, climate change is one of the biggest threats to nature.

What’s going on?

Water treatment, like many industrial activities, needs high volumes of electricity and generates significant amounts of carbon dioxide emissions.

England’s water sector has committed to being carbon net zero by 2030, a world-leading position.

Yet, it also has an important role to play in addressing specific challenges to nature and biodiversity caused by the more extreme weather climate change causes – notably, more drought and more flooding.

The water industry is the UK’s fourth largest energy consumer, using 3% of the country’s electricity output and generating 1% of the carbon dioxide emissions. [1]
10 billion-plus litres of sewage are produced every day in England and Wales. It takes approximately 6.34 gigawatt hours of energy to treat this – almost 1% of the two countries’ average daily electricity consumption. [2]

Get nature positive

Many water companies are tackling carbon emissions head-on to address climate change.

Restoring and protecting wetlands, for example, presents an important opportunity for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.

Inspired by the steps leading water companies are already taking, we’re suggesting specific actions to help you on your journey to nature positivity.

Actions for nature

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[1] https://www.livingcircular.veolia.com/en/industry/water-industry-heart-energy transition#:~:text=It%20is%20a%20little%20known,of%20the%20carbon%20dioxide%20emissions.

[2] https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/post/postpn282.pdf