Glasgow’s SEC will be net zero by 2030, bosses say

The venue where world leaders pledged to go further in cutting greenhouse gases has made its own commitment to slash emissions to zero.

Bosses at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) in Glasgow said on Wednesday it would become net zero by 2030, the same time the rest Scotland’s largest city is aiming to stop its harmful emissions.

Peter Duthie, chief executive of the SEC, said staff recognised “how significant a challenge” cutting its carbon emissions to nothing was, but they were “determined to reach this goal”.

“As the proud host venue of Cop26 we are fully committed to becoming net zero by 2030, and to taking a central role in supporting Glasgow’s ambitious targets,” he said.

The venue, which is mostly owned by Glasgow City Council, includes the OVO Hydro, the SEC Armadillo and the SEC Centre.

Bosses said they were already working with city council and a number of consultants and organisations to help it reduce its emissions to zero by the end of the decade.

They said central to achieving their new net zero goal was the development of an ambitious energy strategy.

Improvements in water efficiency, green travel, supply chain engagement and waste management are also being implemented, the centre said.

At the conference in November leaders signed the Glasgow Climate Pact, which was the first agreement which explicitly planned to reduce unabated coal usage.

The centre said all of its electricity came from renewable sources, and has been working with organisations to boost recycling rates and plant trees.