Environment Agency completes CEMARS certification
Demonstrating their commitment to reducing carbon emissions, the Environment Agency has completed CEMARS certification through the Achilles carbonReduction programme and the message from the agency’s Environmental Manager Carolyn Thraves is ‘don’t delay – just start somewhere and start reaping the benefits’.
As guardians of the environment for England and Wales, the Environment Agency plays a principal role in delivering the environmental priorities of central government. With a target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 33 percent by 2012, the Environment Agency has taken a big step towards meeting their carbon reduction ambitions and has placed itself at the forefront of the public sector’s sustainable operations programme.
Carolyn Thraves, Environmental Management Advisor at the Environment Agency says ‘the Environment Agency wanted to be recognised for the great work we have done to reduce our emissions and gain a certification that qualifies as a CRC Early Action Metric. CEMARS will help us track progress against our plans in future years.’ Asked how Achilles has helped the Environment Agency, Carolyn commented ‘we have had all our emissions data thoroughly audited and verified and received recommendations for methods to make reporting simpler.’
Since 2006/7, the Environment Agency has cut emissions by almost one fifth. The associated cost savings are more than £6 million a year. More recently, and within the last three years, the Environment Agency has achieved a reduction of over 13,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Membership of Achilles’ carbonReduction programme will enable the Environment Agency to discuss and contribute, along with other CEMARS certified organisations, to the dialogue (obstacles, best practice and success stories) on greenhouse gas measurement and reporting.
Download the full case study on the Environment Agency’s CEMARS certification (PDF, 387 Kb.)