Our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions are reported in line with the WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard.

Our total Scope 1 and 2 emissions for 2010/11 were 9.7 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), compared with 8.8 million tonnes in 2009/10.

Each line of business has worked to deliver their targets under year one of our first five year plan for greenhouse gas reduction. The plan established a trajectory to 2015 as the half way point to our 2020 target. Performance against the plan is linked to the executive compensation scheme.

Emissions reduction against 1990 baseline

We have adopted a long-term target of reducing our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 80% against our 1990 baseline by 2050 as part of our climate change strategy. We have set an intermediate objective of a 45% reduction in our emissions by 2020.

Our 2010/11 performance equates to a 51% reduction against our 1990 baseline, but is an increase of 4% with respect to our 1990 baseline compared with 2009/10. Virtually all of this is attributable to increased utilisation of our generating plant on Long Island in order to meet increased consumer demand and to pick up capacity shortfall from other generators.

We have continued to invest in modernisation of these plants and this has resulted in a 3.8% increase in efficiency, or a saving of 35,375 tonnes CO2e over the year on a like for like output basis.

Carbon intensity

We also measure our carbon intensity. For 2010/11, this was 675 tonnes (carbon dioxide equivalent) per £ million of revenue compared with 630 tonnes in 2010/11.

Carbon intensity trend data a breakdown of emissions by Kyoto gas