Thames Green Scheme

Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, and with river traffic predicted to increase, operators and individuals in the marine sector have a responsibility to try and reduce these harmful emissions as much as possible. Operators can take steps to mitigate their emission to air by, for example, retro-fitting their fleet with technology that reduces emissions to air, or utilising alternative methods of propulsion such as bio-fuel, hybrid propulsion or fully electric.

In 2020, it was estimated that 33.8 million tonnes of commercial and industrial waste was sent to landfill in the UK. Conscious operators should make effort to reduce their waste production, recycle as much as they can or consider diverting their waste from landfill. Reducing the amount of waste you produce is the most significant way to reduce the impact of waste on the environment.

The Thames and its intertidal habitats are important ecosystems for many species, particularly birds, with around 300,000 birds overwintering here every year. We often have marine mammals make their way up the channel too. It is important for individuals working on the river to have an appreciation for this wildlife and its habitat as it can provide valuable information on the health of the river and other biological trends.

Some species in the Thames are however non-native. Invasive non-native species are cause for concern as they outcompete native species for food and space which can dramatically change an ecosystem. An example of this in the Thames is the Chinese Mitten Crab. It is important that operators are mindful of how their operations can facilitate the spread of invasive species and take steps to mitigate the risk, such as applying anti-biofouling paint to vessels, consideration of where you offload and uptake ballast water in the river etc.

In 1957, the Thames was declared biologically dead. Since then, thanks to cooperation from many different sectors, the Thames is once again a valuable habitat home to 125 fish species. It is the responsibility of operators on the river to be conscious of pollution prevention to improve the condition of the river in line with the objectives outlined in the PLA’s Thames Vision. Please see the Thames Vision.

In 2019 the government signed legislation that commits the UK to a legally binding target of net zero emissions by 2050. It is the responsibility of all operators to work towards this target in order to lessen the impacts of global climate change. Companies should be considering where their energy is sourced and how they can become more energy efficient.

Having an environmental management system demonstrates a company’s commitments to continuous improvement and record keeping, particularly when accredited to ISO14001. A particularly relevant example of a recording metric is accounting for your greenhouse gas emissions. These are separated out into 3 “scopes” by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Scope 1 – direct; scope 2 indirect from purchased energy; scope 3 – other indirect.