24 October marks International Day of Climate Action. People across the world will come together to raise awareness of our planet’s plight and mobilise efforts to combat the climate crisis. The P & M Group is committed to driving decarbonisation as part of our sustainability strategy Project Acorn and this key date in the sustainability calendar offers an ideal opportunity to reflect on what we can all do to secure a more sustainable future.
The International Day of Climate Action was established in 2009 by 350.org as a grassroots initiative designed to influence delegates at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP15). In the ensuing years it has become a focal point for those committed to avoiding the most catastrophic impacts of a heating planet.
When it comes to the climate, we are breaking all the wrong records. The last decade has seen the globe experience the top ten hottest years ever recorded. The Paris Agreement saw world leaders pledge to try and keep global temperatures rising by more than 1.5C since the industrial revolution. Not nearly enough progress has been made in tackling the causes of climate change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts that at the current rate, the world could cross the 1.5˚C threshold as early as 2040.
We can already see the impacts of climate change, be it extreme weather events or large scale biodiversity loss. Businesses have a key role to play in redressing the balance and putting humanity on a more sustainable footing.
Changing The Dial
Cold storage has a significant carbon footprint and is working to help the government meet its Net Zero target by committing to reduce emissions under the Climate Change Agreement (CCA). According to the CCA, the UK cold storage industry uses 4 TWh of electricity a year, which is just over 1% of UK consumption. We must find ways of embedding sustainable practice to drive decarbonisation across our operations.
To this end, we recognise that we have an opportunity to share best practice and deliver products and services that support customers on their sustainability journey. We have produced our report trilogy, “The hidden cost of a coldstore: From energy consumption to health and safety.” It provides practical advice and guidance on how cold store operators can help cut their operating costs, improve health and safety and reduce energy consumption to help meet the sector’s CCA targets.
It is critical that the sector continues to find ways of reducing energy consumption and exploring working practices that have a less harmful impact on the environment. This will not only help combat climate change but allow businesses to reduce operating costs and gain a competitive advantage. Key issues that need addressing include:
- Decarbonising transport refrigeration units.
- Investment in renewable energy generation by more cold store operators, 72% of cold stores currently don’t generate their own renewable energy.
- Aging building stock is less efficient than newer builds. 36% of the UK cold stores are over 25 years old, and upgrades in building fabric can have a positive impact on cost and emissions savings.
- Exploring the potential to increase the temperature at which frozen food is stored and transported from -18 to -15 degrees Celsius.
P & M is committed to helping our customers make the parts of that transition within our influence. Our efforts led to our Group Sustainability Manager Joanne Swift being crowned Cold Chain Climate Champion 2023 at the Cold Chain Federation’s inaugural Sustainability Awards, yet we know that we cannot afford to be complacent and must continue finding new ways to put ESG at the heart of our business strategy and take even more action in this area.
International Day of Climate Action should make us stop and reflect on the impact we are having on the world around us, and how we can reduce it. It is not too late to avoid the worst impacts of a heating planet. It is time to work together to chart a different course.