Calls to turn organic wastes into valuable bioresources

The CLA is among a myriad of organisations who have written to the COP26 President calling for the industry to address climate change and boost economic growth across the UK by transforming organic wastes into valuable bioresources.

The letter, signed by 19 groups to President of the UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP26) Alok Sharma, calls for all organic wastes to be transformed into valuable bioresources through anaerobic digestion (AD) technology – which gets the most out of such material - to rapidly decarbonise UK's key industries such as transport, heat, agriculture and food and drink.

The groups also ask for an immediate commitment to swiftly develop a policy framework for the AD sector to enable the industry to thrive and support the UK's Net Zero and global Britain ambitions, addressing methane emissions this decade.

"The UK is currently missing a huge opportunity to build on an existing UK success story", they write.

"By turning all its organic wastes into bioresources, the AD industry could help”:

• the UK achieve carbon neutrality, including delivering 30% of the 5th Carbon Budget shortfall
• build back greener by creating 60,000 green jobs this decade
• bring over £5bn of private sector investment
• boost the UK’s exports to a $1trn global industry growing exponentially
• support the UK's agriculture sector and food and drink industry

With the letter to Mr Sharma, the CLA and its co-signatories seek the COP26 President's support in unlocking the industry's potential as fast as possible - helping place the UK at the heart of the fight against climate change as well as realise the government's vision for an environmentally responsible and economically strong "Global Britain".

• Signatories to the letter:

ADBA; Biogen ; CCm Technologies; CNG Fuels; Country Land and Business Association (CLA); Energy Networks Association (ENA) ; Evonik Industries ; Food and Drink Federation (FDF); Gas Vehicle Network (GVN); GFD; Grissan; Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers (IGEM); National Farmers Union (NFU); Northumbrian Water; Privilege Finance; Scotch Whisky Association (SWA); Severn Trent; SGN; United Utilities.