Climate change

We can play a positive role in tackling climate change and help create a revolution in green consumption.

"Climate change is among the greatest challenges of our time. The debate is no longer about whether climate change is happening. We now know that it is."
- Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, National Climate Change Strategy 2007-12

"I believe that by giving people information, opportunity and incentive – and by trusting them to make wise decisions – we really could see a green revolution."
- Tony Keohane, Chief Executive, Tesco Ireland

There is now an overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is happening. Scientists tell us that man-made emissions of greenhouse gases are a key factor, and that urgent action by governments, businesses and individuals is needed to combat it. This means there needs to be less reliance on fossil fuel, and that we must nurture the idea of a low-carbon society.

As a result, many customers now want to play their part. However, they need help to overcome some key barriers:

• A sense that their individual actions won’t make a difference
• A lack of information about what to do and
• A worry that buying products that help the environment is expensive

Tesco is working to tackle these barriers so that we can help deliver a revolution in green consumption – with the fight against climate change at the very heart of it. We also want to set an example by measuring and reducing CO2 emissions in our own business

Measuring our carbon footprint

For the first time in Tesco Ireland we have measured our direct carbon footprint, so now we can identify our biggest impacts and provide transparency within our business about our progress. Our aim is to establish a clear baseline from which to track progress in reducing our emissions, and enable us to identify those areas of our business we need to prioritise.

What we measured

We define the scope of our direct footprint in line with industry standards, which comply with the guidelines set out by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). We included energy use in all Tesco stores, distribution centres and offices as well as emissions from primary distribution, business travel and our Tesco grocery home shopping delivery vans.

We also included the impact of the HFC gases used for refrigeration. We recognise that we also have an important role to play in reducing our indirect carbon footprint and are examining ways to help our suppliers and customers reduce their emissions too.

Our impact

The direct carbon footprint for Tesco Ireland during the financial year to February 2008 was 180,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)

The footprint shows that the key causes of our emissions are:

• Heating and lighting our stores
• Chilling or refrigerating products and
• Transporting goods to our stores

Performance in our stores 2007

Tesco Ireland invested €30 million in energy-saving technology We recycled 64% of our in-store waste We are Ireland's largest provider of bring centres

Our objective

At Tesco Ireland we are working with our customers, suppliers and partners to create a greener environment and raise public awareness of environmental issues.

Tesco Ireland is playing its part in tackling one of the gravest threats we all face – climate change. That’s why one of our Group policies is to "put the environment at the heart of everything we do".

All our research tells us that our customers want us to do more in the fight against climate change.

And they want us to help make it easier and more affordable for them to play their part in the green revolution.

We are committed to a long-term programme of practical steps to reduce our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Our goal in sustainable consumption is to drive the trend towards green consumerism by using our power and reach to make it cheaper to go green.

Our actions

Last year we launched our "Strategy on the Environment and Carbon Reduction".

This outlines Tesco Ireland's commitment to minimising our carbon footprint and to tackling environmental concerns.

This plan centres on recycling, packaging reduction and sustainable energy use throughout the company’s operations.

We are focusing on a number of critical areas to tackle climate change, including:

• Energy and CO2 reduction
• Packaging reduction
• Sustainable packaging
• Recycling
• Sustainable living