CARBON REDUCTION
Industrial symbiosis
A PROVEN
METHOD
The National Industrial Symbiosis Programme has been reducing C02 emissions in the UK
for the past five years – with a fairly modest public investment. So it’s no wonder that
other countries are looking at our programme and hoping to reproduce its success as a
way of mitigating the impacts of climate change. Peter Laybourne reports
I
am disappointed with the outcome of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation expensive per unit of reduction. In the UK,
UN climate change summit in Copenhagen is considering IS as part of its developing cli- NISP is cutting CO
2
at a cost of between 13
(COP15). Frustratingly, it is the knowledge mate change strategy for the region. and 65 pence per tonne. This is based on the
that a proven methodology already exists for One reason why countries are turning to IS independently-verified outputs achieved by
making an immediate and significant impact as a means of tackling climate change is due to the programme that show NISP reducing in-
on reducing the impacts of climate change, in NISP’s exceptional CO
2
reductions here in the year CO
2
emissions by 6M tonnes. The true
particular in tackling CO
2
. And despite the UK of over 6M tonnes (30M tonnes if one figure is much higher at 30M tonnes.
fact that the UK, Mexico, Brazil and China are includes persistence over five years). In April, the UK government is introducing
already reaping the rewards of such an During the five years it has been a national the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC).
approach, there is still some way to go before programme, NISP has delivered significant The CRC will initially impact on 5,000 organ-
it becomes widespread policy. CO
2
reductions for the 12,500 business mem- isations as determined by their electricity use.
The methodology is industrial symbiosis bers in its network. These opportunities often It aims to reduce CO
2
emissions by 1.2M
(IS). And the reason we know it works is that include innovative changes to sourcing or tonnes a year by 2020, potentially at signifi-
there is now over five years’ worth of docu- process changes achieved through mutually cant cost to companies and the government.
mented evidence of the impact and benefits advantageous business transactions. NISP NISP already achieves much higher annual
derived through IS by the National Industrial facilitates industrial CO
2
reductions by the CO
2
reductions than this at minimal cost.
Symbiosis Programme (NISP) here in the UK. following means:
■
input savings – lower While industry has cautiously welcomed the
To mark this anniversary, International CRC, it does not have the potential of the
Synergies, the company that devised and man- NISP approach in tackling CO
ages NISP, has published NISP – The Pathway
to a Low Carbon Sustainable Economy. The
publication charts the programme’s progress
since becoming the world’s first national IS
‘
During the five years it has been a 2
emissions.
Historically it has been the environmental
national programme, NISP has
benefits of the IS approach that has stimulated
delivered significant CO
2
political interest. With five years’ worth of
reductions for the 12,500 business
verified NISP data on the national economic
programme in 2005 and includes an insight and social impact of IS, we are now able to
into examples of the practical application of IS
across all sectors of industry. It also provides a
financial analysis of the programme’s impact
’
members in its network prove that IS not only contributes towards
improving the commercial and environmental
embedded energy from processing recycled performance of industry and the economy as a
on the national environment and economy and materials rather than processing virgin materi- whole, but that this can all be achieved with a
sets out the argument that the business-led als;
■
process savings – savings in gas, electric- relatively low level of government investment.
NISP approach has the potential to fulfil a key ity, or other fuel use by one of the synergy In the past five years NISP has delivered
role in the transition towards a low-carbon, partners, principally through innovation;
■
significant low-carbon, sustainable economy
sustainable economy. fuel substitution – replacing fossil fuels with benefits, all of which have been achieved on a
NISP remains the world’s only national IS other non-fossil fuel sources in industrial modest public investment of circa £27M,
programme, and is the subject of academic processes;
■
transport savings – reduction in proof that environmental programmes don’t
research in the field of industrial ecology. In transport directly associated with synergies;
■
need to cost the earth.
Mexico and Brazil, NISP is being established disposal savings – reduction in biodegradable
in regional areas with the aim of becoming a material sent to landfill;
■
energy savings – Peter Laybourne is programme director of
national programme. China is establishing an production of energy through anaerobic NISP. The Pathway to a Low Carbon
IS network, based on NISP, in the Tianjin digestion and utilisation of waste heat. Sustainable Economy was published in
Economic Development-Technological Area, Using NISP’s verified five-year evidence December 2009. To download a copy visit
the largest industrial park in the world, while base, we’re able to dispel the misconception www.nisp.org.uk/pathway.pdf or contact 0121
the North America Free Trade Agreement that carbon reduction programmes need to be 433 2650 to request a hard copy
30 February 2010 ❘ Sustainable Business
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