The company's carbon strategy currently targets three key areas:
The campaign to combat climate change hinges on an ability to better curb greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions resulting from human activities. This issue represents a major commitment on the part of Veolia Environnement in its partnership with customers. It also provides a seedbed to develop innovative solutions.
The company's carbon strategy
Supporting innovation
Veolia Environnement invests in low-carbon technologies such as biomass, solar power and recovery of unavoidable energy. The company also conducts research into carbon-storage solutions.
Promoting renewable and alternative energy sources
These include wind power, photovoltaics, solar thermal energy (large solar power plants), biomass and biofuel. Such initiatives help "decarbonize" the energy mix of municipal and industrial facilities managed by the company. However, for technical and economic reasons, these technologies cannot completely replace fossil fuels.
Rationalizing energy use
Veolia seeks to reduce (fossil) fuel waste and improve energy efficiency wherever possible.
The company's carbon performance
CO2 emissions avoided and reduction of GHG emissions
Carbon intensity of revenue
(million metric tons CO2 eq. by billion euros of revenue)
Veolia Environnement's carbon intensity (GHG emissions as a function of revenue) is steadily dropping, underscoring the effectiveness of our actions at a time of increased activities.
The company enabled an overall GHG reduction totaling 26.8 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent and emitted 50 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent.
GHG emissions
There is clearly a steady improvement in the ratio between emission reductions achieved through Veolia Environnement's management of facilities on behalf of local authorities and companies, and overall emissions under its responsibility.
Energy services, public transportation and waste treatment are nonetheless critical emitters of carbon dioxide and methane. Water distribution is less directly concerned by GHG emissions, but is affected by the impact of global warming on the availability of water resources.
(*) Following a reporting error in the electricity consumption at one site, the 2009 figures for indirect emissions at Veolia Water and the company as a whole has been adjusted to enable comparison with the 2008-2010 figures.
Measuring and monitoring the carbon footprint of Veolia Environnement's business activities is becoming more widespread. As is the bid to incorporate carbon efficiency into its services. In 2008, the company developed and implemented decision-making tools that allow it to better take into account the impact of GHG emissions in the services it offers customers.
