COP26 - The Facts & Progress
COP26, UN's annual climate change conference, is now in the distance as the next conference approaches. World leaders will soon once again come together to review next steps in the battle against climate change, but let's not forget the progress we have made.
COP26 Progress So Far
In the 26 years since the first COP meeting, there has been a global shift towards increased awareness of the issues threatening our environment, and the actions we need to take to mitigate their effects. In the UK, we have made significant progress towards a more sustainable future: our emissions decreased by 44% between 1990 and 2019; we are the largest producer of offshore wind energy in the world; and we have committed to banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
However, there is still a long way for us all to go. We must keep the temperature increase of the planet below 1.5 degrees Celsius to prevent catastrophic damage. We need to reach a point where we are producing less carbon than we are taking out of the atmosphere. Restoring nature and biodiversity should become a firm priority in every country. But to achieve all these goals and more, we all have a part to play.
Playing Our Part In The Climate Crisis
Veolia is committed to becoming the benchmark for ecological transformation. This means mitigating the effects of climate change; protecting natural resources; preventing biodiversity collapse; and minimising the pollution of our atmosphere. Our global presence, and our leading position in the waste, energy and water industries, enables us to take actions to deliver real change. Some of the ways we have done this so far are as follows:
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We have committed to optimising energy efficiency in buildings, and to promoting the use of renewable energy.
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We have increased the amount of biomass used in our energy generation plants globally from 9% to 23%, between 2016 and 2020.
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We recycled 391,000 metric tons of plastic in 2020, as part of our commitment to the sustainable treatment and recovery of waste.
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We delivered safe drinking water to more than 50,000 people in 2020, with an efficiency rate of 73.4%.
Protecting our planet, '+1' step at a time
Change, in particular environmental change, requires collaboration. Veolia's new initiative, '+1', brings together 50 key stakeholders, to create a collective driving force to power the ecological transformation.
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Solar panels and wind turbines have long been the symbols of greener, cleaner energy. But there are other proven technologies that are being adopted to help drive us towards a lower-carbon future.
Download your free copy of our carbon reduction A-Z guide!
With carbon reduction firmly on the environmental agenda, it can be mind-boggling navigating the world of related buzzwords. With this in mind, we've put together an A-Z guide of key terms and how Veolia can help your business meet its carbon reduction targets.