James CurranDirector of Science and Strategy

Who are we? What do we do?

• Non Departmental Public Body, established 1996

• Scotland’s & Government’s environmental pollution

regulator, advisor & flood warning agency

• >1200 staff

• 23 offices

• £83m budget in 08-09

• £81m budget 09-10

• and falling…

SEPA’s Environmental Ethos

Environmental policy

ISO14001 certification

6 published performance targets: waste, water, procurement, biodiversity, transport, carbon dioxide

11 Annual reports – data validated

Why do this?

It’s our job to protect and improve the environment!

Corporate credibility (we ‘tell’ others to control/manage their impacts and are hypocrites if we don’t)

SEPA has role as exemplar – if others follow our lead, we can effect a greater benefit for Scotland’s environment

There is an expectation from stakeholders that we will perform. If not....

Negative Press Coverage

SEPA and the 1 in Five Challenge

SEPA targeted flights from 2007-2008 as part of efforts to achieve our transport and main CO2 targets

We joined the 1 in Five challenge in 2009 to maintain momentum

Sources of SEPA CO2 Emissions 2006-7

Flights relatively small proportion but politically important

2006-2007 Flights baseline

Number of flights

Total Miles CO2 (kg)

Island 409 63,609 15,355

UK Mainland 1,461 442,208 106,747

Short Haul 247 147,089 35,507

Long Haul 4 7,930 1,404

Total 2,121 660,836 159,012

4 Categories:

Many Island flights essential

Some short haul European flights necessary

Very few Long Haul

UK Mainland showed greatest scope for improvement

How to reduce flights?

Set Sub target: ‘Reduce UK Mainland Flights by 50% in one year and maintain that reduction’Target to reduce 1,461 annual flights to 732

Improved data gathering

and measurements of

our footprint

Support

Question need to travel

Use Alternatives to

travel: tele & video

Trains

Flight is final alternative

All UK mainland flights require director sign-off

Apply a Travel Hierarchy

Ensure technical alternatives are available - tele and video conferencing in all SEPA offices

Support

Show commitment from senior management through demonstration

Performance to end 2009-2010

Cut flight numbers by 48%, from 2,121 to 1,101

Reduced total mileage by 342,000 per year

Reduced carbon dioxide emissions from flights

by 90 tonnes per year

Saved over £100,000 per year in travel costs

2010-2011

Performance improving further....

Performance to date

Sources of SEPA CO2 Emissions 2010

Benefits Cost savings

Better understanding of:what we actually do

what we need to do

where we need to be

who we need to influence

Therefore better targeting of limited resource

Less travel for some - more time on core job and

improved work-life balance

Reality Check

Some flights required - SEPA is still required to engage

face-to-face with policy decision makers at UK and

European levels

Benefits of WWF programme

Structured approach

Data checking – systematising your data

Data assurance – through regular audits

Pooled experience from cohort

Recognition of achievement - award!

Summary

Identify what you want to achieve

Identify and validate your baseline

Seek and communicate commitment

Set targets

Identify alternatives to continue business as usual

Use your commitment to the challenge to force change

Communicate progress

Keep going!

Thank you

Questions?