Water welcomes 68% greenhouse gas cut but calls for water efficiency action

The water sector has welcomed the new target announced by prime minister Boris Johnson last week: for at least a 68% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade, compared to 1990 levels.

The government said it recognised the urgency of climate change and has set the new target – our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Climate Agreement – as among the highest in the world “and commits the UK to cutting emissions at the fastest rate of any major economy so far”.

The announcement comes ahead of the UK co-hosting the Climate Ambition Summit on12 December, which will coincide with the fifth anniversary of the historic Paris Agreement. The summit will call on countries around the world to submit ambitious NDCs or other climate plans as we head towards the UN COP26 climate talks, which the UK government is hosting in Glasgow next year.

Peter Simpson, Anglian Water chief executive and co-chair of the Prince of Wales's Corporate Leaders Group, said: “Credible plans matter in the race to zero, so today’s announcement is welcomed. The spotlight is on.”

A Water UK spokesperson said: “The government’s announcement of further carbon reductions this decade is a hugely encouraging step. The water industry is the first industrial sector in the world to commit to delivering net zero emissions by 2030 and we are ready to play our part in helping the UK reach its stretching targets… “Alongside this, water use in the home is a huge source of carbon emissions and it is vital we take steps to embed water efficiency in our national psyche.

"The passage of the Environment Bill is an opportunity for government to prioritise water efficiency measures, such as mandatory water efficiency labelling on white goods and stricter building regulations. Water companies also want to work with government, through the forthcoming net zero, and Heat and Buildings strategies, to ensure the importance of saving water in the home is properly reflected in future policy making.”