Many water companies and agencies around the world are now committing to net zero strategies, with all of the water companies in Victoria committed to net zero by 2030 and the UK producing a net zero road map in 2020.  

Net zero is not always evaluated using the same method, nor is it synonymous with carbon neutral. However, there has been a steady push towards managing carbon because net zero carbon is key to meeting the 1.5°C science-based target, as outlined in the Paris Agreement 2015.  

What we do not often hear is that cutting carbon can cut costs. The UK Government's Infrastructure Carbon Review 2013 provided outcomes of work completed across infrastructure development where carbon had been a key driver. This study clearly showed that if carbon was deliberately reduced through the value chain then cost reductions (CAPEX and OPEX) were also clearly evident.  

There are industries now requiring information around end-of-life for equipment. They are demanding that companies recycle items such as media or UV bulbs etc and demonstrate plans for demolition or decommissioning of equipment. This is only set to get more robust. 

As chemical engineers, we have a responsibility to develop projects sustainably. We cannot continue to use more than is sustainable and must change the way we do things and perceive value. This can be achieved by completing carbon baselines on all infrastructure programmes and proactively beating this baseline on projects to create a different lens on value engineering. The factories we design can run more efficiently and contracts can be undertaken with a circular economy in mind where we demand end-of-life recycling.  

• Illustration 1
• Illustration 2
• Illustration 3

For more information, visit www.water.org.uk/routemap2030