Over the past few years, we have reported regularly on WH Kemp’s efforts to increase its green credentials, and indeed how our Cable Assemblies and Wiring Harnesses have been used in products designed to make a greater contribution towards helping the environment.
Earth Day 2021
Therefore, it seems appropriate we should acknowledge ‘Earth Day 2021’ and the start of President Biden’s White House virtual climate summit. Today he is joined by some 40 World leaders to discuss methods and targets to put the brakes on greenhouse gas emissions.
The early signs are encouraging in that the gathering, which essentially is a staging post for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) – to be hosted by the UK in Glasgow later this year – is already moving in the right direction.
Immediately prior to the summit, President Biden pledged the USA would cut its carbon emissions by 50% by the end of the decade. Very good news when one considers the US, along with China, is among the world’s worst polluters: 1,442 and 2,777 annual million tonnes of carbon, respectively (2019 data). Despite prevailing poor relations, China appears more serious than at any time in the past to work closely with the US on this matter.
As for the UK, we were of course the first member of the G20 to set a net zero emissions target. Immense strides have also taken place in this country, decarbonising the power sector by moving away from coal – a strategy aimed at adhering to the Paris Agreement on climate change (COP21). Full decarbonisation of the power sector by 2050 is necessary in order to cap global temperature rise at 1.5°.
What’s more, and as precursor to the Biden summit, earlier this week the Prime Minister announced the UK is aiming to cut its emissions by 78% by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. The British Government has also stated it will act as a home for ‘pioneering businesses, new technologies and green innovation’ in its efforts to progress to net zero emissions.
WH Kemp is endeavouring to do its bit
In 2018’s Kable News, we reported that our product engineers were involved in developing specialist cables that drive clean energy wind turbines. At the same time, we invested in our factory infrastructure by way of reducing our carbon footprint. This was followed by improvements to the company’s recycling ratios.
In 2019, we began working with customers intent on achieving greater environmental responsibility, by supporting the design of innovative electrical Control Boxes and Wiring Harnesses aimed at reducing landfill waste.
These moves led to a successful design partnership between WH Kemp’s cable technicians and a specialist public transport manufacturer. Our cable assemblies are going into two of the UK’s largest commercial omnibus companies running electrified, cleaner air services for urban environments.
2021 appears to be a critically important watershed year for the global environment. As we have said in the past, WH Kemp cannot claim to have built a perfectly green Cable Assembly, Wire Harness and Control Panel pedestal upon which to stand and shout from, but as 2021 progresses, so will our efforts to improve as many aspects of our operations as possible, including completing the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Certification, thereby playing our own (small) environmental part.
