How will the water sector reach net zero emissions? It used to be an academic question. It is not any more. This year’s COP 26 meeting has highlighted water’s role in the Race to Zero, setting a target for utilities serving 500 million people to commit to net zero emissions by the 2022 Cairo meeting. Many municipal, regional, and national political leaders are announcing aggressive timetables for emissions reductions which include their water operations.  

This responsibility for climate change mitigation places an additional burden for the water industry. On the other hand, it is a tremendous opportunity for utilities and their supply chain to reinvent the industry, reducing energy costs, embracing new technologies and financial models, re-engaging with customers and re-evaluating the value proposition  

The purpose of our Water Without Carbon pathfinder workshop is to bring together the industry’s key thinkers to identify the opportunity, and determine the strategies which might deliver it.  

Water Without Carbon will take place twice on Thursday 16th December at 7:00am GMT (Meeting 1) and at 16:00pm GMT (Meeting 2), accommodating all major timezones. Each online meeting will consist of a 75 minute workshop, with participants breaking out into small groups focusing on 4 areas, or workstreams:

• Utility pathways: How are the leading utilities delivering net zero?
• Mobilising the supply chain: How can contractors and suppliers make the difference?  
• Project financing: What are the opportunities for climate change finance in water?
• Technology needs: How can we address water’s tech needs in getting to net zero?