Sustainability | Environment and climate change
Our target is to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across our operations by 2030
BAE Systems
Our climate change strategy
Solving the challenge of climate change requires all of us to act together, with urgency. One of the focus areas of our sustainability agenda is to play our part in addressing the significant and lasting impact of climate change. As a defence and security company, technology is at the core of our business and we must leverage this while progressing our ambition of net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Our goal is to develop and implement a long-term strategy that reduces the impact of our activities, supply chain and the products on the environment. We are progressing our net zero ambition and are developing milestones in line with the UN Race to Zero via the Business Ambition for 1.5°C pathway. Part of our strategy is to reduce our energy consumption, purchase renewable energy and develop on-site renewable electricity supplies where practicable.
See how we are helping to reduce our environmental impact
Our ambition to achieve net zero
We strengthened our net zero pathway by signing up to the UN Race to Zero via the Business Ambition for 1.5°C campaigns. Our UK business intends to submit net zero milestones for the Science Based Targets initiative during 2022. We will look to extend this to other parts of the Group as we mature the development of our net zero roadmap and our related internal processes.
To play our role in solving the challenge of climate change, we launched our ambition for net zero during 2021 setting ourselves the target of:
BY 2030
Achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions across our operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2030. We aim to do this by reducing our emissions as a minimum in line with the 1.5°C pathway.
BY 2050
Working towards a net zero value chain by 2050.
Our net zero programme
During 2021, we progressed our net zero programme by developing a net zero roadmap for the Group and scoping the change management, governance, planning requirements and assessed the level of investment which we will need to transition to a net zero organisation.
Setting environmental targets and initiatives at business level
The nature of our business makes it challenging to set global emissions reduction targets. Therefore, we set and implement environmental targets and initiatives at business level, to contribute to an overall reduction. Businesses set objectives to reduce energy used, water consumption and the generation of waste, emissions, and other discharges.
Sustainability in action
A quiet revolution
Our HybriGen® system not only cuts emissions, but creates a smoother ride for passengers and helps operators save on fuel and maintenance costs
Zero waste to landfill
Since Summer 2020, we’ve sent zero waste to landfill across Warton, Samlesbury and Brough sites in the UK
New solar farm to power world-class jet facility
A solar farm the size of eight football pitches is helping us to power the advanced manufacturing of world-class fighter jets
The bat professor
Jon together with other volunteers from the Isle of Wight Bat Group, have surveyed and produced habitat suitability models for every native bat species on the Isle of Wight
Read more sustainability features
Our Stories
Days of the world
Earth Day 2021
The past year has brought harsh reminders of the fragility of where and how we all live: from raging wildfires and tornadoes to a global pandemic. We all have a role to play as stewards of our environment
282,519
Renewable energy purchases
During 2021 we purchased 282,519 MWh of renewable energy attributes under the Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin scheme for 26 sites in the UK
