A report commissioned by Arts Council England (ACE) has found that energy use emissions have declined by 17% from 2015-16 to 2016-17 in a control group of 136 national portfolio organisations.
The dramatic reduction is partly related to UK’s grid decarbonisation, with renewables making up 25% of the UK’s electricity as fossil fuel energy generation is phased out.
But even with the reduction, the control group emitted over 59,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, while all 623 organisations that responded to the report contributed over 91 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2016-17.
Hedley Swain, ACE’s acting director for museums, said: “It is something that we are taking seriously and we would hope that the sector would want to be seen to be taking this seriously.
“Now any museum planning a project thinks about their carbon footprint. We need to keep going in this direction and keep the agenda on the table.
“Where are a public-facing sector and so we should be taking the lead. Even if the museum sector alone won’t save the planet, it is important that we are seen to be doing this.”
Links and downloads
ACE Environmental Report 2016-17
The dramatic reduction is partly related to UK’s grid decarbonisation, with renewables making up 25% of the UK’s electricity as fossil fuel energy generation is phased out.
But even with the reduction, the control group emitted over 59,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, while all 623 organisations that responded to the report contributed over 91 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2016-17.
Hedley Swain, ACE’s acting director for museums, said: “It is something that we are taking seriously and we would hope that the sector would want to be seen to be taking this seriously.
“Now any museum planning a project thinks about their carbon footprint. We need to keep going in this direction and keep the agenda on the table.
“Where are a public-facing sector and so we should be taking the lead. Even if the museum sector alone won’t save the planet, it is important that we are seen to be doing this.”
Links and downloads
ACE Environmental Report 2016-17
