ACEI Launch Pledge to Net Zero in Ireland

The Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) is proud to announce its commitment during COP26 to 'Pledge to Net Zero' in line with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

This commitment has been made to provide ACEI member firms with a science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction programme, which comes with support, guidance and the sharing of good practice attached.

ACEI is pleased to be a leader in the built environment sector in relation to taking action on climate change.

ACEI has partnered with the UK-based Pledge to Net Zero campaign. More than 120 organisations worldwide have signed up to the Pledge so far, with all signatories committing to:

- Setting, and committing to deliver, a greenhouse gas target in line with either a 1.5°C or well below 2°C climate change scenario; covering buildings and travel as a minimum. - Publicly report greenhouse gas emissions and progress against this target each year - Publish one piece of research or thought-leadership piece each year on practical steps to deliver a net zero greenhouse gas economy. Alternatively, signatories may choose to provide mentoring and support for smaller signatory companies in setting targets, reporting and meeting the requirements of the pledge.

The latest IPCC report clearly demonstrates that urgent action is required in order to keep global warming due to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to less than 1.5˚C. As a sector, one of Consulting Engineering’s core roles is to advise clients to manage and deliver on environmental challenges, and signing up to Pledge to Net Zero is a clear way for ACEI member firms to show leadership in this area.

By registering for this commitment, ACEI consulting engineering practices will demonstrate their actions as leaders in the field, making a real difference within their own operations, as well as continuing to provide world class advice on sustainability and environmental concerns to clients.

Pledge To Net Zero is led by a steering committee including Society for the Environment (SocEnv), Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA), Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE), and Environmental Industries Commission (EIC), with leading environmental consultancies WSP and AECOM.

Giving their reaction to the launch, ACEI stakeholders welcomed the announcement:

David McHugh, ACEI President said that:

“During the COP26 week, ACEI is proud to support its member firms as they commit to reducing greenhouse gas emission, by signing up to ‘Pledge to Net Zero’ (PTNZ). The work of Consulting Engineers will be crucial in addressing the climate emergency. All are welcome to join the PTNZ Webinar to announce the launch at 2pm on 9 November.”

PJ Ryan, Convenor of the ACEI Sustainability Committee said that:

“Engineers continue to work on coming up with solutions to address the climate emergency including decarbonisation of the gas grid and designing resilient energy storage. ‘Pledge to Net Zero’ is a way for Consulting Engineers to show leadership and to put into practice what we recommend to our clients. This will allow us to confidently look our clients in the eye and say that not only are we providing Net Zero advice, but that we are also showing leadership ourselves in our own operations.”

Sarah Ingle, ACEI Secretary General said that:

“Members of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) are to the forefront of designing innovative energy solutions to help reduce carbon emissions from our homes and environment. Earlier this year the ACEI launched its new Sustainability Vision, driven by its active Sustainability Committee. ACEI members are committed to helping deliver greenhouse gas targets in line with necessary climate change scenarios, covering buildings and travel as a minimum. In that regard, ACEI is very pleased to be supporting firms to register and undertake the international ‘Pledge to Net Zero’ Commitment.“

You can find out more about Pledge to Net Zero at: https://www.pledgetonetzero.org/

More info about the ACEI can be accessed via their website: https://www.acei.ie/