Pledge to Net Zero

Welcome to ACEI’s Pledge to Net Zero Commitment

The following are some useful Tools and Resources to achieve PTNZ: A guide to making your business more environmentally friendly: Understanding your carbon footprint An SME’s guide to reducing your carbon footprint and environmental impact, including: The benefits of being net zero as an SME How to calculate your business’ carbon footprint Reporting your carbon footprint Actionable ways to reduce emissions, both as a brick-and-mortar and online SME Tools and Resources to support your organisation in PTNZ are here.   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 our 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. To help firms on the pathway to net zero to understand the benefits of involvement in this pledge, ACEI hosted a webinar on 9 November 2021. During the webinar ACEI’s commitment to the pledge was launched by members of the ACEI Sustainability Committee and others. To view the slides from the event, click here.  If you would like to obtain a recording of the webinar, please contact netzero@acei.ie. Some documents have been produced to support signatories in achieving their targets.  See here for general guidance and here for accounting and reporting guidance. A Pledge to Net Zero Summit took place on 2 March 2022.  To view the presentations from the event, which include case studies from ACEI Member Firms, click here. For any comments or questions about the pledge you can email: netzero@acei.ie

Click HERE to sign up to the pledge and start your journey to Net Zero.

ACEI Members Register for Pledge to Net Zero

• Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland

• Axiseng M&E Ltd

• CS Pringle Ltd

• DBFL 

• Ethos Engineering

• Fahey O'Riordan Consulting Engineering

• Garland

• J. B. Barry & Partners

• Jennings O'Donovan & Partners

• Mott MacDonald

• TJ O'Connor & Associates

• RPS

• Ryan Hanley

• Varming Consulting Engineers

Pledge to Net Zero

Pledge to Net Zero is the environmental industry’s global commitment, requiring science-based targets from its signatories to tackle greenhouse gas emissions within their organisations. The pledge recognises the need for those in the environmental and consultancy sector to demonstrate leadership and take strong actions to mitigate the most significant impacts of climate change.

The Pledge To Net Zero initiative is a partner to the UN’s Race to Zero campaign. 

ACEI Member Net Zero Commitment

As part of the commitment to lead, it is our aim that ACEI member firms will achieve Net Zero in operational GHG emissions by 2030, with ACEI support.

It is well documented that drastic action is required in the short term to maximise (or even realise) the long-term benefits of Climate Action. As such, ACEI is advocating that all member firms must commit to achieving operational Net Zero GHG emissions by 2030. To support this commitment, ACEI is providing resource in conjunction with an established route to net zero; the Pledge to Net Zero (PTNZ). Click here to sign up and start your journey!

What are the Commitments of the Pledge?

By making the Pledge, your organisation is committing to:

 - Set and commit to deliver a greenhouse gas target in line with a 1.5°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/thought-leadership each year on practical steps to delivering an economy in line with climate science and in support of net zero carbon. Alternatively, signatories may choose to provide mentoring and support for smaller signatory companies in setting targets, reporting and meeting the requirements of the pledge.

Pledge to Net Zero Guidance

Pledge to Net Zero (PTNZ) Guidance documents have been modified for the Irish market and these provide guidance for signatories and guidance for GHG Accounting and Reporting – you can access the latest version of these documents via the dedicated webpage.

PTNZ also hold webinars to help organisations meet the pledge requirements. You may find these webinars helpful in addition to the content produced by ACEI. The recordings of past webinars can be accessed free-of-charge here.  

As part of the Pledge to Net Zero initiative, PTNZ are keen to encourage organisations who have made the pledge and are on the road to reducing their emissions to share advice and guidance with others. Lessons learned are available in case study form here.

Pledge to Net Zero FAQs

The Pledge to Net Zero is an industry-led initiative focused on reducing the GHG emissions in the environmental services sector and seeks to establish the sector as a leader in climate change.  

For more FAQs see here.

Race to Zero

PTNZ has announced a partnership between Pledge to Net Zero and the UNFCCC’s Race To Zero campaign. Race To Zero is the UN’s campaign to rally fast climate action from business, cities, regions, investors and universities ahead of COP26.  See here for further details.

As a signatory to the PTNZ pledge, you can also become part of the Race To Zero. Organisations that join the Race to Zero need to have committed to a 1.5°C science-based target and to share their carbon action plan to deliver this target (this will be kept confidential).

To learn more about Race to Zero and how you can participate, please contact us using this form or drop us an email at: netzero@acei.ie

SEAI Business supports

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) provides mentoring and funding to help communities achieve their sustainable energy ambitions. Five hundred communities are now part of the SEAI’s community energy network leading the way in Ireland’s energy transition.

To find out how SEAI can support your business on the Pledge to Net Zero journey, visit the website.