Corporate Environmental Report 2020-21

Our Vision

Proud to be leading the way to a better future for Wales by managing the environment and natural resources of Wales sustainably.

Our Purpose

Through the new Environment (Wales) Act 2016, we

must pursue the sustainable management of natural resources, and;
apply the principles of sustainable management of natural resources.

Introduction

Our environmental management system (EMS) supports Natural Resources Wales (NRW) vision and purpose by maintaining our certification to the ISO14001:2015 environmental standard, our forest certification against the UK Woodland Assurance Standard and by reducing our own environmental impact and carbon footprint.

In 2020/21 the Covid-19 Pandemic has dramatically affected the way NRW has operated. By following Welsh Government advice, staff have predominantly worked from home, with offices closed or with restricted access. There have also been restrictions on travel and on working field arrangements.

This has led to significant reductions in energy, water and waste at our offices and depots and significant reductions in business mileage. All of which have led to overall carbon emission reductions.

We are now also developing methodology to calculate and report NRW staff home working emissions.

Summary of Performance

In 2020/21 we have:

reduced our overall carbon footprint by 35.4% in relation to scope 1, scope 2 and currently measured scope 3 emissions compared with 2019/20 data;
reduced our mains electricity usage in occupied buildings and depots for the seventh year in a row, a 23.3% reduction in 2020/21 compared with 2019/20 data;
reduced our overall business miles by 52.6% compared with 2019/20 data;
retained certification to the ISO14001 environmental standard and the UK Woodland Assurance Standard, following independent external audits and verification.

Table 1: Corporate environmental report summary table

Category	Units	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	2020/21
Greenhouse Gas Emissions	tCO₂e	4,387	4,199	3,994	2,579
Energy consumption	million kWh	6.0	6.3	7.1	5.4
Energy expenditure	£k	618	583	729	628
Waste generated	tonnes	1,141	966	1,772	793
Waste expenditure	£k	273	218	333	199
Water consumption	m³	50,908	40,115	42,127	33,116
Water expenditure	£k	25	30	13	18

Table 1 reflects relative change for key areas in the last year.

In summary:

organisational greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 1,415 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂e);
energy, travel, waste and water all decreased, mainly because of the way NRW operated in 2020/21 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

More detail around each component can be found within the related sections of this report.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Carbon emissions decreased in 2020/21 by 35.4% compared with the previous year.

Scope 1 direct emissions decreased by 26.4%, this was due to a decrease in the amount of fuel used in our pool cars and by our operational teams.

Scope 2 energy indirect emissions decreased by 32.4%, this was due to a decrease in electricity usage in under-occupied buildings because of restricted access.

Scope 3 other indirect emissions decreased by 66.4%, this was due to a decrease in business miles due to travel restrictions and the amount of waste generated.

Table 2: Greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse Gas Emissions	Units	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	2020/21
Scope 1: Direct emissions	tCO₂e	2,466	2,499	2,129	1,568
Scope 2: Energy indirect emissions	tCO₂e	1,317	1,077	1,130	764
Scope 3: Other indirect emissions	tCO₂e	603	624	735	247
Total gross Greenhouse Gas emissions	tCO₂e	4,387	4,199	3,994	2,579
Outside of scopes (i.e. biomass)	tCO₂e	208	187	184	132

Note 1: Data not externally verified – Limited Assurance.

Note 2: The Scope 3 other indirect greenhouse gas emissions include; train travel, air travel, grey fleet travel, lease car travel, hire car travel, water and waste.

Note 3: Scope 3 emissions from the purchase of goods and services, aggregates use in construction and timber use are not included.

Energy

Total energy use decreased by 1,681,637 kWh a 23.6% reduction in 2020/21 compared with 2019/20 data.

This includes; electric, mains gas, LPG, heating oil and biomass from offices, depots and unmanned sites such as gauging and pumping stations.

Three sites on the NRW estate were fitted with new PV solar panels, this increased the energy generated by PV solar panels by 17.4 %. However, due to less energy generated from hydro on the estate, the overall energy generated from renewables remained constant.

Total energy emissions decreased by 492 tCO₂e a 29.0% reduction in 2020/21 compared with 2019/20 data.

Table 3: Energy consumption

Resource Use - Energy	Units	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	2020/21
Energy used occupied sites	kWh	4,918,340	4,973,616	5,131,465	4,027,176
Energy used occupied sites	tCO₂e	1,436	1,236	1,188	876
Energy used unmanned sites	kWh	1,122,103	1,298,317	1,985,005	1,407,657
Energy used unmanned sites	tCO₂e	395	367	507	328
Renewable energy generated	kWh	106,856	167,879	161,193	161,320
% total energy used as renewables	%	2.2	3.4	3.1	4.0
Total Energy used - consumption	kWh	6,040,443	6,271,933	7,116,470	5,434,833
Total Energy used - consumption	tCO₂e	1,830	1,603	1,696	1,204
Total Energy used - expenditure	£k	618	583	729	628

Water

Mains water usage decreased by 7,150 m³ a 60.6% reduction in 2020/21 compared with 2019/20 data. Our water use intensity (m³/FTE) also decreased from 2.9 to 1.0. The average intensity for water of a typical office is 4.0.

NRW has been awarded the Waterwise Checkmark for several offices and visitor centres.

“NRW is proud to be the first UK regulator to be awarded the Waterwise Checkmark, highlighting our commitment to water efficiency at our offices and visitor centres. We recognise the environmental benefits of efficient use of one of the most essential of Wales’ natural resources and are committed to making further efficiency savings across our estate, reducing our water footprint and climate impact. We will look to share our experience and knowledge with partners, so that we can all play our part to make water efficiency savings and help create the Wales we want to see in the future.”

Clare Pillman, NRW Chief Executive

Table 4: Water Consumption

Resource Use - Water	Units	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	2020/21
Total mains water -consumption	m³	11,894	12,368	11,803	4,653
Total abstracted water - consumption	m³	39,014	27,747	30,324	28,463
Office mains water -consumption	m³	5,555	6,047	6,228	2,107
Office abstracted water - consumption	m³	22	32	26	4
Non-office mains water -consumption	m³	6,339	6,321	5,575	2,546
Non-office abstracted water - consumption	m³	38,992	27,715	30,298	28,459
Water use intensity (for office use)	m³ / FTE	3.0	3.2	2.9	1.0
Total water - consumption	m³	50,908	40,115	42,127	33,116
Total water - consumption	tCO₂e	18	14	15	11
Total water - expenditure	£k	25	30	13	18

Travel

Our travel needs include; travel to manage sites, responding to serious environmental incidents, taking samples, dealing with flooding, site meetings and inter-office travel.

Business travel miles decreased by 3,385,712 miles a 52.6% reduction in 2020/21 compared with 2019/20 data.

The reduction in business travel was mainly due to the Welsh Government advice of not to travel due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Essential flood defence, emergency response and forestry works continued whilst following Welsh Government guidelines for key workers.

No air travel occurred in 2020/21 and train travel reduced by 99%, again due to the Covid-19 Pandemic travel restrictions.

Travel in electric vehicles decreased again in 2020/21, several factors contributed to this, the need for off-road travel for essential works and no rapid charging infrastructure in place.

Table 5: Business Travel

Business travel	Units	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	2020/21
NRW badged fleet (Not including EVs)	miles	5,440,945	5,562,246	4,934,687	3,020,287
NRW badged fleet	£k	749	789	720	455
Grey fleet	miles	590,998	614,868	554,375	266,804
Grey fleet	£k	266	277	249	120
Hire vehicle	miles	261,039	277,390	512,209	153,361
Hire vehicle	£k	88	124	195	181
Train	miles	938,418	993,213	1,258,211	3,007
Train	£k	183	328	397	< 1
Air	miles	33,661	50,299	26,663	0
Air	£k	5	7	7	0
Bicycle	miles	2,301	3,714	4,012	2,259
Bicycle	£k	< 1	< 1	< 1	< 1
Motorbike	miles	1,735	1,155	729	110
Motorbike	£k	< 1	< 1	< 1	< 1
Electric vehicles (EVs)	miles	0	32,832	26,374	19,660
Total business travel	miles	7,269,097	7,535,717	7,317,260	3,465,488
Total business travel	tCO₂e	2,019	2,002	1,810	1,087
Total business travel	£k	1,291	1,525	1,568	757

Waste Minimisation and Management

Total waste generated decreased by 979 tonnes a 55.2% reduction in 2020/21 compared with 2019/20 data.

Table 6: Waste Generated

Waste	Units	2017/18	2018/19	2019/20	2020/21
Office waste - Landfill	tonnes	213	286	90	23
Office waste - Landfill	tCO₂e	125	168	53	10
Office waste - Landfill	£k	25	25	24	31
Office waste - Recycled / Reused	tonnes	600	431	972	460
Office waste - Recycled / Reused	tCO₂e	13	9	21	10
Office waste - Incinerated	tonnes	27	31	31	18
Office waste - Incinerated	tCO₂e	< 1	< 1	< 1	< 1
Operational and fly-tip waste	tonnes	301	218	680	292
Operational and fly-tip waste	tCO₂e	135	98	269	111
Total waste	tonnes	1,141	966	1,772	793
Total waste	tCO₂e	274	276	343	132
Total waste	£k	273	218	333	199

Environmental incidents

In 2020/21 there were twenty-three environmental incidents because of our work or that of contractors we manage.

When incidents occur because of our work (or that of our contractors), we review what has happened, and act to address the root cause of the incident.

Sustainable Procurement

Our Vision for Procurement is to provide effective procurement leadership and direction in support of Natural Resources Wales mission and values and embed the fundamental concepts of a learning organisation with the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) as its central organising principle.

The procurement and carbon positive teams have been working collaboratively to address emissions in our supply chain. Consideration of carbon has been embedded into the procurement process for two significant contracts. In addition, a progress to date, lessons learnt, and forward look paper has been prepared and shared with the Welsh Government.

Governance and Reporting

We report on our carbon footprint as part of our performance framework, which is reported by the Executive Team to the Board (in open public session) four times each year.

We collect the data used within this sustainability report through a combination of meter readings (e.g. gas, electricity), invoices (e.g. fuel card purchases), supplier’s data (e.g. train miles) and finance data, using the most accurate source/s we have available. We also look to minimise use of any estimated data in our reporting.

Carbon Positive Project

We worked with colleagues to ensure decarbonisation is a key principle in both the ‘fleet strategy’ and the ‘accommodation strategy review refresh’ projects.

Energy modelling and the development of low carbon pathways at our eleven biggest emitting sites has been commissioned with works continuing in 2021/22.

Two new solar photovoltaic schemes have been installed at Cynrig hatchery (29kW) and the Clawdd Newydd office (4.8kW).

The team prepared a paper for decision, on the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil fuel (HVO) for NRW which recommended an HVO trial. The paper was endorsed by the Climate Change and Decarbonisation Change Programme board.

Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic we are now also developing methodology to calculate and report NRW staff home working emissions.

Homeworking emissions associated with home heating and power use were estimated to be 1083.9 tCO₂e and 118.9 tCO₂e respectively in 2020/21. This was an increase in homeworking energy emissions of 444.6% from the previous year, driven by the COVID-19 homeworking directive. Home heat and power usage were estimated per FTE employee following the EcoAct Homeworking Emissions Whitepaper methodology applied to NRW data on FTE numbers and office desk bookings.

Increased homeworking also meant that our staff commute emissions decreased by 95.4% from the previous year to 114.1 tCO₂e in 2020/21.

Future Strategy

In line with our current corporate strategy we want to:

Continue to deliver the NRW carbon positive action plan to include; retrofit buildings with solar PV, develop an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, increase the EV mileage, identify and deliver a programme of peatland projects in order to further reduce our carbon emissions;
Develop mechanisms for active and sustainable travel to be the favoured choice of NRW commuter travel and for appropriate business journeys;
Continue to maintain certification to the ISO14001 environmental standard for all NRW activities and certification to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard for the Welsh Government Woodland Estate.

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