Scottish Water Wins Recognition of Climate Work at World Water Congress in Canada

“This award demonstrates that Scottish Water has made substantial progress on climate change mitigation and adaptation and has been assessed as an internationally leading utility.”

Alex Plant
CEO, Scottish Water

Scottish Water was among the winners in a climate-related recognition programme at the prestigious International Water Association’s (IWA) World Water Congress and Exhibition 2024 in Toronto, Canada.

Scottish Water was among the winners in a climate-related recognition programme at the prestigious International Water Association’s (IWA) World Water Congress and Exhibition 2024 in Toronto, Canada.

The utility was successful in the IWA’s Climate Smart Utilities Recognition Programme, which aims to inspire utilities to become increasingly climate-smart and embrace the cultural shift required for a water-smart future.

The recognition programme is built on the IWA Climate Smart Utilities Vision and is articulated around three inter-connected pillars to tackle Climate Change: Adaptation, Mitigation and Leadership. 

Scottish Water was recognised in an award for companies deemed to have already made “substantial progress towards Net Zero”. 

Welcoming the success, Alex Plant, Scottish Water’s Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to have been recognised in the Climate Smart Utilities Programme 2024.

“This award demonstrates that Scottish Water has made substantial progress on both climate change mitigation and adaptation and has been assessed as an internationally leading utility. 

“It acknowledges what we’ve achieved to date as well as the big ongoing commitments we’ve made to ensure climate change mitigation and adaptation are at the forefront of our future plans and ambitions.

“This award gives us great momentum for when the International Water Association’s (IWA) World Water Congress and Exhibition moves to Glasgow in 2026.”

As part of the Congress, Scottish Water together with other UK water industry bodies, signed a Catchment Management Declaration designed by the University of Cambridge. This reaffirms commitment to the key principles for the sustainable management of water catchments. 

This will help to ensure multi-sector approaches to water management in the face of climate change across Scotland and the UK.