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Lookup NU author(s): Anna Christy, Professor Oliver HeidrichORCiD, Professor Marwa ElnahassORCiD, Professor Jaime AmezagaORCiD
This is the authors' accepted manuscript of a conference proceedings (inc. abstract) that has been published in its final definitive form by The International Society of Industrial Ecology, 2025.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
The water sector, a critical component of sustainable resource management, faces unique challenges in aligning corporate climate reporting with planetary boundaries due to inconsistencies in Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions reporting. This study develops a dynamic Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) framework tailored to the water sector, aiming to mitigate these inconsistencies and enhance the interconnectivity between organisational climate reporting, regulatory oversight, and global climate action. The PDCA cycle, traditionally used in quality management (Shyng, 2021), is reframed in this study to create a dynamic process for carbon accounting and reporting, tailored to the water sector. The "Plan" phase establishes emissions baselines and identifies hotspots, such as methane release during wastewater treatment and nitrous oxide emissions from inefficiencies. The "Do" phase implements targeted interventions, including real-time monitoring and emissions capture technologies. "Check" involves assessing outcomes against key performance indicators, ensuring data accuracy through audits and identifying gaps. Finally, "Act" focuses on adapting strategies based on findings, scaling successful measures, and integrating lessons learned into sector-wide practices. This cyclical approach ensures continuous improvement and adaptability to evolving regulatory and operational challenges. Empirical analysis of climate reporting practices in the water sector reveals significant variability in methodologies for quantifying emissions. Research highlights the critical need for standardised protocols to ensure accurate, comparable, and actionable data (Christy et al., 2024). Without standardisation, discrepancies in reported data undermine sector-wide decarbonisation efforts and limit alignment with global frameworks such as the Paris Agreement. The Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) emerges as a valuable tool in this context, offering science-driven benchmarks for aligning corporate targets with the Paris Agreement. However, its implementation is challenging, particularly in addressing the complexities of Scope 3 emissions and supply chain interdependencies. As noted by Christy et al. (2024), the reliance of the SBTi on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol introduces limitations when applied to the diverse business models present in the water sector. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a systematic literature review of carbon accounting methods with an English Water sector case study, Northumbrian Water Limited. Analysis of the legal, regulatory and company-level commitments demonstrates the influencing factors of how decarbonisation motivative tools are adopted and the sector’s potential for aligning operations with SBTi benchmarks through operational adjustments. By bridging the gap between operational realities and global climate frameworks, this study demonstrates how the water sector can serve as a model for interconnected and equitable climate action. The findings contribute to industrial ecology by presenting actionable pathways for aligning sectoral practices with planetary boundaries and driving transformative sustainability outcomes.
Author(s): Christy A, Heidrich O, Elnahass M, Amezaga J, Browne A
Publication type: Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
Publication status: Published
Conference Name: 12th International Conference on Industrial Ecology (ISIE2025)
Year of Conference: 2025
Print publication date: 04/07/2025
Acceptance date: 07/03/2025
Date deposited: 18/01/2026
Publisher: The International Society of Industrial Ecology
URL: .isie2025.sg
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/mt33-k609
