Our environmental dependencies

Dependencies to achieving our targets

Achieving our emissions reductions targets relies on a combination of actions we take ourselves, as well as technological dependencies, policy and regulatory frameworks in the regions where we operate, and actions by others, including businesses and energy consumers. Our ability to achieve our climate targets is driven by the policies put in place by the jurisdictions where we operate that support decarbonising their energy systems at a rapid pace. Governments face multiple pressures, including budget constraints and customer affordability concerns, which may impact the pace of decarbonisation. While the costs of some technologies continue to fall, the costs of other renewable technologies has risen, which is also impacting policy and the pace of the transition. Our scenarios are based on what we know and can reasonably assume today. They are not all linear, reflecting our analysis that getting to net zero by 2050 will be uneven.   
 

Some of the dependencies and variables that will impact our ability to achieve our GHG emissions reductions targets are:

• Continued regulatory support for emissions reductions activities
• Rate of load growth
• Rate of development of low-carbon generation
• The continued implementation of various UK policy reforms, including connections and planning
• Increase in the pace of clean energy development in our US regions
• Reductions in upfront heat pump costs and heat pump technology improvements

 
Find out more about dependencies in this video with our UK Sustainability Manager, Steve Thompson and New England Environmental Sustainability Director, Michael DeNoia.