Background
The Greenhouse Gases workstream is a collaborative effort led by the Hydro Nation Chair (HNC) Programme and Arup, with the support of Chris Newsome, a director the UKWP.
The primary objective is to identify and quantify all major sources of GHG emissions across the water cycle, including methane and nitrous oxide
Current attempts to quantify emissions often underestimate the magnitude of emissions and do not fully account for the impact of more potent GHGs. It is proposed to use the catchment as a measurement framework to identify upstream and downstream emissions in addition to those produced directly during water and wastewater treatment.
This is a cross-sector challenge, and hence, there is a need to establish a working framework of interested and involved partners.
Scottish Water has set ambitious targets to achieve net-zero across its operation by 2040, including process emissions by 2030. These targets are translatable across the wider water sector. The collaboration of the HNC Programme, Arup, and the UKWP provides an opportunity for increased engagement of the community and enhanced reach to facilitate a transformational work-package in this area.
Future aims
The workstream will begin as a year-long programme to engage stakeholders from across the water industry, academia, and the third sector to establish a community of interested parties and identify available resources to contribute to a wider network working on GHG emissions in the water sector.
The aim is to draft and submit a Network Grant to the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) around the GHG theme, providing a long-term, funded programme of engagement across this community.
