The industry client has become the first railway company in the world to set a science-based target aligned with limiting warming to 1.5°C – below the 2 degrees scientists declared necessary to meet the Paris Agreement.
Around two-thirds of the railway’s emissions are generated by suppliers, so Network Rail is seeking to work with its wider supply chain to help it set their own targets.
Martin Frobisher, Network Rail’s safety, technical and engineering director, said: “Most of our carbon emissions come from our supply chain, so we need to give our suppliers confidence that we are serious about this and must make the changes needed to meet these challenging targets.
“Many of our suppliers are already making great strides to this end which we can learn from.
“Working with them to find creative engineering solutions and clever ways to reduce the energy we consume, for example, is key to delivering these targets.”
Key supply chain milestones
Update procurement model by 2022 to reduce value chain emissions by 2032
Network Rail commits that 75% of its suppliers by emissions covering purchased goods and services and capital goods will have science-based targets by 2025.
Embed material re-use and redeployment systems and tools into procurement process by 2024
All appropriate plant, worksites and depots to have dust suppression in place by 2029
Network Rail is already making progress in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.
All of the energy used to power its stations, depots and offices comes from renewable sources.
Trials have started to move its road fleet – such as the vans needed in rail maintenance work – to electric vehicles.
Network Rail is also ow is looking at how it can use its land to generate renewable electricity as well as support biodiversity, while an extensive community tree planting scheme is also underway.
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