The current situation with the Corona virus means that, in some cases, planned audits, including for the CO2 Performance Ladder, cannot be carried out on location. As an accredited scheme, SKAO refers to the latest version (April 7, 2020) of the explanatory document ( T051 ) that the Accreditation Council has published on its website for such situations.
Due to COVID-19, SKAO works with fewer people in the office, which means that we are less accessible by telephone than you are used to from us.
Since 2013, the dredging activities of Jan De Nul Group in the Benelux have been certified according to the CO2 Performance Ladder. Since 2020 the civil works in the Benelux, as well as all environmental works of Jan De Nul Group, have achieved the highest level 5. Jan De Nul Group continuously strives to reduce its environmental footprint, through an intensive energy management system focussing on lowering energy consumption and lower emissions.
The starting point of the Climate Agreement is that CO2 emissions must be reduced by 49% by 2030 compared to 1990, and by 95% by 2050. Many of the agreements must be fulfilled in the region. In 30 regions spread across the Netherlands, provinces, municipalities, water boards, companies, network operators, social organizations and citizens are therefore working together on a Regional Energy Strategy (RES). In the Zeeland region, the CO2 Performance Ladder is part of the RES. SKAO speaks with Evert Swart, policy advisor for the Scheldestromen Water Board and associated with the Zeeland RES.
Public procurement is more crucial than ever, as most of the COVID-19 recovery spending will be channelled through this process—so how can we ensure it drives innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability? And can we take this opportunity to rebrand it as a strategic (not just administrative) government function?
Contractor company Van Gelder, level 5 certified on the CO2 Performance Ladder, has developed a dashboard in which the CO2 emissions and reduction of a project are calculated in real time. The innovative dashboard was used for the first time in the Collaboration Agreement (SOK) Great Works with the municipality of Amsterdam. This week it became clear that no less than 1000 tons of CO2 reduction has been achieved during the major maintenance of roads in Amsterdam.
On 10 November, the Delfland water authority received the 1,000th CO2 Performance Ladder Certificate. The water authority is certified at level 3. In response to this happy news, SKAO spoke with Oscar Helsen, Energy Coordinator, and Bas Nanninga, project leader for the implementation of the CO2 Performance Ladder at Delfland. They discussed climate ambitions, involving citizens and companies in sustainability, and CO2 reduction as the new normal.
Delft, 10 November 2020. The Delfland water authority has today received a CO2 awareness certificate for achieving level 3 on the CO2 Performance Ladder. With this, the water authority receives the 1,000th certificate of the Ladder.
Certificate holder Heijmans wants to build CO2-neutral after 2023. And the ambition is to work completely emission-free by 2026. So without CO2, nitrogen and particulate matter emissions. Good for the climate, it provides better workplaces for employees and less nuisance for the environment. That is why Heijmans believes that its construction equipment should be made more sustainable. Three Heijmans employees explain how they intend to reduce emissions to zero in six years. Electrification, ambition and money are the keywords in the story.
In the Climate Agreement, a CO2 reduction of 49% by 2030 has been agreed. That also means work to be done for municipalities. A tool that helps to make this reduction measurable is the CO2 Performance Ladder. The VNG developed a special program: CO2 reduction by municipalities. The municipality of Soest is certified under this program for level 3 on the CO2 Performance Ladder. Marloes Borsboom-Turabaz of the VNG and Soest alderman Nermina Kundić explain which steps municipalities can take in reducing CO2 emissions.
The Ministries of Ministry of Economic Affairs (EZK) and Climate Policy and Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) are today publishing their first joint report on the sustainability of their own business operations. In 2019, the national government has included the objective of climate-neutral operations by 2030 in the Climate Agreement. The sustainability report provides insight into the progress. The ministries of EZK and LNV share, among other things, the building, vehicle fleet and operational management and therefore opt for one sustainability report. The report published today covers calendar year 2019.