Climate Change Data

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Environmental Leadership
• Sustainable Development

Environmental Achievements

• Improved air quality: In 2003, the average number of days of moderate or higher air pollution in urban areas was 16% lower than in 1993. Emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides reduced by 73% and 43% respectively since 1990.
• Improved recycling services to households: 66% of households now served by a kerbside recycling scheme. The amount of household waste collected by these schemes rose by 29% last year.
• Brought over 700,000 hectares of land in England into agri-environment schemes since 1997.
• Best ever quality of drinking water – 99.88% of drinking water in England and Wales meets EU standards.
• In recent years we have had the cleanest bathing waters on record – around 98% have passed EU standards, up from 88% in 1997.
• Substantial improvements in river water quality since 1990 – the number of rivers of good biological quality has increased from 60% to 69% and the number assessed as being of good chemical quality increased from 43% to 62% between 1990 and 2003.

Social Achievements

• Provided grants to over 900,000 vulnerable households to help them insulate, draught-proof and heat their homes.
• Helped over 900,000 households to live in warmer, more comfortable and energy efficient properties.
• Exceeded targets for affordable rural homes.
• Working across Government and its agencies to help prevent rural post office closures and to provide support for rural public services including transport.
• Improved protection for companion animals; UK Pet Travel Scheme.
• Increased the target for the years 2004-06 to 3,500 rural affordable homes.

Governance Achievements

• Reformed the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) – ending the link between production and subsidy, and freeing farming to respond to the demands of the market place, its customers, the environment and local communities.
• Reduced red tape by at least 25%.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Litter, anti-social behaviour, noisy neighbours and poorly maintained parks and play areas.
• Fuel poverty (1.2 million vulnerable homes in England in 2002).
• Poor air quality (up to 24,000 premature deaths annually in Britain).
• Lack of access to nutritious food.
• Lack of access to green space.
• Inefficient use of resources in the economy and the costs of environmental degradation.
• Diffuse agricultural sources account for about 70% of nitrogen, 40-50% of phosphorous and the majority of silt entering water in England.
• Need to change consumer behaviour (only 3% regularly buy environmentally friendly products, despite 30% wanting to).
• Need to raise the standards of products on the market.
• Need to tackle the challenges of using the waste we produce as a resource and of disposal at the end of a product’s life.
• Need for affordable rural housing.
• Need to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010.
• Need to improve the current framework for managing and protecting all our marine resources.
• Need to address the problems of agricultural pollution, particularly diffuse water pollution and ammonia emissions from nutrients.

Mitigation Strategies

• Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill.
• Warm Front Programme (improved standards in more than 900,000 households).
• Fuel Poverty in England: The Government’s Plan for Action.
• Review of the Air Quality Strategy.
• Business Resource Efficiency and Waste Programme (£284 million over three years).
• Carbon Trust programmes (£192 million over three years).
• Environmental Stewardship scheme.
• Environment Direct advice service.
• Working with retailers to promote recycling at supermarkets.
• Working with Local Authorities to pilot household incentive schemes for recycling and waste reduction.
• New ways of getting local buy-in on waste choices.
• Code for Sustainable Buildings.
• Sustainable procurement.
• Water efficiency measures.
• Commons Bill.
• Marine Bill.
• Improved fisheries policy.
• Whole Farm Approach for regulation.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Sustainable procurement policies for timber and food.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Increased incidence of heat-waves and flooding.

Opportunities

• Development of energy-efficient products and technologies.

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Sustainable Intensification
• Food Security
• Environmental Management
• Agricultural Productivity

Environmental Achievements

• Not disclosed

Social Achievements

• Not disclosed

Governance Achievements

• Not disclosed

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Much world agriculture is economically weak and environmentally damaging
• Unacceptable further destruction of ecosystems
• Limited market growth for organic farming
• High degree of dependence on public payments for organic farming

Mitigation Strategies

• Improved resource efficiency in agriculture
• Sustainable farming systems (agro-ecology, integrated farming, biodynamic farming, conservation agriculture, organic farming, precision farming)
• Sustainable farming practices
• Upgraded private certification schemes
• Better enforcement of environmental regulation
• Improved CAP delivery
• Greater use of farming/agribusiness sustainability schemes

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Not disclosed

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Not disclosed

Transition Risks

• Not disclosed

Opportunities

• Not disclosed

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Null

Certifications: Organic label, Leaf Marque, GIs, PDOs

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

• Not disclosed