Green Limerick: University partner to drive for decarbonisation

A CRITICAL need for upskilling to support businesses to reduce their carbon footprint has been identified by the University of Limerick (UL) and others.

New research from UL and Skillnet’s Climate Ready Academy, in partnership with 20FIFTY Partners, has found that global corporate supply chains must embrace decarbonisation to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, to meet Ireland’s Climate Action targets.

The Breaking Boundaries: Building Capacity to Manage Sustainable Supply Chains report revealed that a lack of knowledge across industries, policymaking bodies, and regulatory agencies has hindered progress in delivering solutions to Scope 3 decarbonisation in Ireland.

Scope 3 emissions are a category of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from activities indirectly created by organisations such as business travel, employee commuting, and waste disposal.

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The report highlights that upskilling for employees is a crucial first step in addressing the knowledge gap surrounding Scope 3 emissions.

Without widespread awareness-building initiatives, organisations will struggle to grasp the complexities of supply chain decarbonisation.

Dr. Yvonne Delaney, lead researcher, associate professor of Supply Chain Management at Kemmy Business School in UL spoke about the value of collaboration in furthering research in this critical area.

“The University is delighted to collaborate with Skillnet Climate Ready Academy on this innovative research, investigating the impact of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.

“The findings from this report will influence the strategic approach taken by those involved in upstream and downstream supply chains.”

Breaking down the knowledge barrier is seen as an immediate requirement before organisations can begin to address the impact of their Scope 3 emissions.

The report underscores that supply chain complexity, data challenges and cost concerns are barriers preventing companies from decarbonising action.