Martin Palmer

https://lnkd.in/ewPCNstw The UK government's new water sector reforms highlight the critical role of data quality in environmental protection. By requiring water companies to enhance transparency and improve monitoring, the initiative emphasises the need for accurate, reliable data. High-quality data is essential for identifying pollution sources, tracking compliance, and making informed decisions to protect our water resources. This move also empowers the public with trustworthy information. At 1Spatial we can help water organisations at every step on their data journey so they can confidently use their data as a strategic asset to enhance operational efficiency and meet environmental and regulatory standards. Our technology ensures data accuracy, consistency, and completeness, which are crucial for effective decision-making and regulatory compliance. By automating data validation and transformation processes, we enable utilities to maintain up-to-date and reliable datasets, supporting efficient asset management, risk assessment, and service optimisation. https://lnkd.in/eVdveQ5h #DataQuality #Utilities #1Spatial #DataManagement #WaterReform

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It is increasingly apparent that climate action and many net zero targets will only be achieved through effective local leadership. There are multiple examples of excellent progress where local and combined authorities e.g. Bristol, Hull, where local plans have leveraged the funding from several sources leading to whole areas taking a major step forward. Hopefully more and more plans will emerge during 2024. As always The Green Edge - https://lnkd.in/d7GEyYpc - will be tracking the skills, jobs and employment aspects through our weekly posts and podcasts (now listened to in 55 countries) and a monthly round-up of reports. We continue to operate on a fully open access and free subscription basis. We look forward to you making use of the resources we have generated over the last few years. #UK100 #MissionZeroCoalition #greenskills #greenjobs #localauthorities #climateemergency #climateaction #localareaenergyplans #LSIPs

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BlackRock, one of the first corporates to congratulate the UK Labour party on its entry to #10, is a global leader in promoting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. As one of the world's largest asset management firms, BlackRock advances ESG through various strategies and initiatives. The circular economy, which minimizes waste and maximizes resource use, aligns closely with BlackRock's ESG efforts, as they support initiatives like Climate Action 100+ to drive sustainable practices. When governments prioritize these initiatives, ESG principles often turn into regulations. The newly elected UK government is vocal in its support, suggesting that all companies, big and small, must be prepared to engage with the circular economy in the near future. How well are you prepared?

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A short article on one of the Anglian Water @one Alliance MVP's we have delivered with the great support from Femi Tanimola and the talented broader Roke team as we harness new technologies on our digital transformation journey. Blending Satellite data, local ground truth and machine learning model to test a concept weeks. #Satelliteimagery #digitaltransformation #machinelearning #water #utilities https://lnkd.in/e6hEwVMi

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Environmental Standards vs. Net Zero: A Guide for Businesses in the UK In an era of increasing environmental awareness and regulatory changes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK are confronted with the imperative of sustainable business practices. Two common approaches to address environmental concerns are implementing recognized environmental standards, such as ISO 14001, and striving towards Net Zero carbon emissions. Each approach has its unique advantages and considerations, making it essential for SMEs to choose the right path that aligns with their goals, resources, and environmental impact. In this article, we explore the key differences between these approaches and offer insights to help SMEs make informed decisions. https://lnkd.in/eEgwJXTC #iso14001 #greenwashing #energy #energyindustry #energyefficiency #energysavings #energynews #ems #environmental #environmentalmanagement #green #greenenergy #environmentalconsulting #environnement #isostandard #isocertification #iso #iso #isocertification #isocertified #isoconsultants #isocertificationbody #ukas #isostandards #isoconsultant #isoconsultancy #iso50001 #enms #netzero

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The first international standard on net zero is due to launch next year. New ISO standards will clarify the net zero transition and give the public confidence and guard against greenwashing. Launched last week at London Climate Action Week, ISO’s Head of Sustainability, Noelia Garcia Nebra said, “ISO takes our role in supporting a net zero transition seriously. As part of our Climate Commitment, we look forward to delivering an international standard the market has been asking for, and importantly, suitable for organisations of all sizes, sectors and geographies.” For more information on this story and how it could impact your organisation, check out:   https://lnkd.in/e34Kr4k2 #NetZero #ISOStandards #Sustainability

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This report presents the outcomes of the National Environmental Services Survey, 80% of respondents had stated that they had serious concerns about the integrity of carbon credit offsetting schemes. #environment #netzero #emissions #carbonreporting #governance #esg #policies #wastemanagement #climate

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Decarbonising with ETS So the period for the consultation considering how waste will be brought into the UK Emission Trading Scheme (#ETS) is over, carbon costs for the sector are coming and Government has indicated that there will not be a further formal consultation. So EFW’s, #ACT’s and #ATT’s are in and clinical/hazardous #waste incinerators may be in depending on the outcomes of the consultation. This puts a #carbon cost to the recovery of, or use of energy from fossil materials in residual waste. Residual waste being that waste left over after prevention, reuse, repair and recycling. Some Local Authority (LA) bodies have questioned if they will receive any central Government support through the New Burdens Doctrine (NBD). Personally, I think that although ETS applies to LA’s and private sector bodies, it will have a disproportionate effect on local Government through both the proportion of tonnes going to EFW but also due to the fact the LA has no control on what its citizens purchase & therefore any control on the materials that end up in household bins. Further for some streams like Textiles and Absorbent Healthcare Products (AHP’s) there is no current potential to recover through an #EPR system. Businesses can have more control on what they purchase and waste. But if the NBD does apply, simply circulating money between national and local Government not only creates ‘wooden dollar movements’ but also potentially misses an opportunity. Almost all LA’s have Climate Emergency Plans (CEP’s) and using ETS money to deliver some of these, especially in the waste arena, would be better use of the circulating funds than a money merry go-round and would deliver on the long-term goal of ETS, i.e decarbonisation. Imagine what a LA could do with a few million pounds per year in the area of waste prevention or repair and reuse and the benefit that would give to decarbonisation. The ETS consultation considered transition plans for LA’s as an option and if some of the ETS bill for LA’s could be offset against real decarbonisation activities, it could deliver and support the prime purpose of ETS and support services that need investment. We could make a similar argument for packaging EPR costs under ETS supporting improvements in reuse, refill and recycling of packaging rather than simply being a cost pass through. Bringing carbon pricing into the waste sector through #ETS will help dive #decarbonisation, but it’s a big blunt tool when applied to #EFW and incineration alone. If some of the ETS costs are able to be diverted and reinvested to deliver long term decarbonisation and drive the #design and implementation of new systems for waste and products, maybe, just maybe, it could be a real force for change. Wouldn’t that be a transition plan.

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This weekend on #WorldRiversDay we acknowledge the importance of our rivers, and one of the biggest challenges we are facing in the UK right now: reducing water pollution and giving our water ecosystems a voice.      The statistics couldn't be more alarming:    • 80% of wastewater is discharged without adequate treatment,  • 84% of freshwater populations declined over the last 50 years,  • and only 14% of rivers meet good ecological status.     If we want to address these issues, cutting-edge technologies including AI and a holistic focus on innovation will be key to effective intervention.    This is because current approaches to addressing river health are proving to not be enough in the face of these challenges, and so far real-time data about waterbody health is not available at scale.     Additionally, rivers might be affected by different sources of pollution, and responsibility of river health and impact is spread across multiple stakeholders, making it difficult to understand and implement improvements.     Combine this with the many challenges water companies are facing – financial constraints, increasingly unpredictable weather due to climate change, aging infrastructure – and it’s clear that modernisation of the systems and a holistic approach are essential to enable profitable and sustainable change.     Thankfully, advanced tech including AI and machine learning has great potential for capturing river health and operationalising actions to sustainably manage and conserve water.     That’s why last year we launched our business group #CognizantOcean.     Combining our technology and industry expertise we aim to help our clients meet the evolving needs of customers, society, and the environment, and better understand and protect our water sources in the process.     There are various solutions and technologies that can be leveraged:     For example, water companies can use data analytics and digital twins to identify contamination sources and take corrective actions faster.     Implementing real-time monitoring can enable quicker detecting and responding to leaks and water quality issues, increasing operational efficiency and reducing cost of ownership.     And AI can recommend process adjustments to more efficiently manage wastewater treatment as well as energy consumption, cutting both energy costs and environmental impact.     There’s still work to be done to solve and scale these use cases. But I’m very excited for what Cognizant can achieve together with our partners and clients to make managing river health in the UK both more financially viable and effective.     Find out more about Cognizant Ocean and our team’s capabilities: https://lnkd.in/ej8WinMJ

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During an recent online event chaired by Adam Read of Suez, a snap poll took place and asked a simple question: do you have a transition plan in place? The results are shown below and reveal both a positive and worrying picture. Those businesses that have or are progressing their net zero transition plan will be driving green skills demand but we have 51% of respondents not on first base as yet. We think this is a simple but critical question to ask before you get into any discussion of green skills demand, shortages and gaps. As always on The Green Edge - https://lnkd.in/d7GEyYpc - where we track green skills, jobs and employment through our weekly posts and podcasts (now listened to in 58 countries), and a monthly round-up of reports (next release due on July 1st). We continue to operate on a fully open access and free subscription basis. We look forward to you accessing and making use of the materials we have generated over the last 3 years. #netzero #climatechange #decarbonisation #greenskills #greeneconomy

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This: https://lnkd.in/ev_FDgy9 I can accept that the UK’s water regulation system needs changing – but I have yet to find a water policy arrangement anywhere in the world that’s really working at the moment. Private ownership, public ownership, light touch regulation, no regulation. Everywhere is struggling and no-one has the answer. But maybe we’re not asking the right question. The problem is that water is not a commodity that fits neatly into a zero sum model of demand and supply. It has a tricky capacity to be suddenly not available when it always has been, or to turn up in killer quantities where it’s not wanted. And it is not a luxury people, societies or economies can choose to live without. So maybe the right questions are: how do we best collaborate flexibly on this common good? What do we need? What needs to change? I have some ideas … #WaterScarcity #WaterResilience #IsleConnect #Sustainability #ClimateAction #WaterInnovation

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I’ve been searching for the mechanism that will make those who damage water ways (from water companies, farmers, abstractors erc) to take the damage they do seriously. So far there is very little that makes them pay attention. Some companies have more of a conscious then others, but generally it’s all set against P&L which equals no action. Hearing that the UK Supreme Court has given the go ahead for people who’ve been negatively impacted from the impacts of others was an ear pricking moment… l’ve hoped legislation would be made: but not enough of the public / politicians care (we’ll see what the Labour gov actually implement). I hoped that public disclosures bodies would help, but they actually argued for less data on the issues 🤯. I hoped that ethical ownership would drive the right investment - unfortunately the opposite is true (they’re just there to make money!) Clean water and what’s needed to protect it is stuck behind the need to reduce water bills (political) while paying shareholders (investors), industrial farmers who just need to return profit and don’t care about their soils in 10yrs time let alone water now (investors) and conscious small farmers who are under enormous pressure to produce competitively priced food while maintaining their knowledge base that actually looks after nature and soils. The post from Charles below was possible evidence that companies will act. Share price is a key corporate driver: however checking United’s share price again just now, the price is back. It feels like action is back with the general public: who is being impacted by poor / terrible water quality and how much does it impact their lives: that’s the question set by the court. How can we argue that we’ve been been financially impacted? Are there other grounds? Impacts on well being? General health? I’m not a legal expert, what is the scope? My pressimentic side (which is over whelming for rivers at the moment) says this precident will have little to no impact unless we can prove that heathy rivers has a material impact. Humm…

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If ever there was a time to embrace the green economy it’s now. It’s in all of our interests. See this insightful report from the University of Oxford #reuse #circulareconomy #reuniverse #nature https://lnkd.in/e5dQt9uK?

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I was delighted to contribute to the Carbon Capture and Storage Association's CCSA Voices report. Last week was an exciting one with clear signals the #CCUS sector vital, but most of all it remains, business needs to have confidence that the regulatory environment is predictable and stable throughout the project lifecycle, from inception to delivery. 🔗 Read the full publication here (my article p.12-13): https://lnkd.in/eWSRKXye

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🇬🇧 Great to see the #greenskills economy building within the UK. ➡ Did you know that it is expected that more than 24 million  #greenjobs could be created globally by 2030. ➡ The growth in demand for green skills is outpacing the increase in supply, globally. ➡ According to the latest LinkedIn Green Skills report, those with green skills have been #hired at a higher rate than those without. ➡ One in five people have turned down a job offer when a company’s #ESG commitments were not in line with their values (2023 KPMG report) ➡ #greenquitting is on the rise as people seek more #purposedriven careers. #SEEChange

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