Page 37 - SAGT Sustainability Report 2022 2023
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SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020/21 35
result of reefer points being increased from NOx and SOx emissions from the RTGs Management of Water & Effluents at SAGT
510 to 540 together with a 6% increase in the and Diesel generators are monitored on a
average number of reefers stored during the bi-annual basis as required by Environmental Water covers 70% of the planet but only 3%
period in review. Protection License (EPL) issued to SAGT by of the world’s water is labelled as freshwater,
the Central Environmental Authority of Sri of which almost two-thirds is tucked away in
As part of ongoing initiatives to reduce energy Lanka. SAGT’s emission data indicates that frozen glaciers or otherwise unavailable for
consumption, SAGT continues to invest in NOx and Sox emissions were well within the use.
LED lighting and inverter air conditioners in stipulated quality levels.
all replacements. The Company also regularly However, in recent years, countless rivers,
conducts campaigns on energy conservation SAGT is committed to reducing its overall lakes and aquifers have been drying up or
topics to raise awareness among the staff. carbon footprint; in this endeavour, the becoming too polluted to be of any use.,
Company has aligned itself to three UN SDGs while many of the water systems that keep
EMISSIONS MANAGEMENT and their associated targets. By increasing ecosystems thriving and feed a growing
AT SAGT its use of renewable energy and improving human population have become stressed.
energy efficiency, SAGT contributes to SDG Today more than half the world’s wetlands
GRI 305-1: Direct (Scope 1) GHG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy and SDG 9: have disappeared or are disappearing. The
Emissions Industry Innovation and Infrastructure. The situation is further exacerbated by climate
Company supports SDG 13: Take Urgent change which is altering weather patterns
GRI 305-2: Energy indirect (Scope 2) Action to Combat Climate Change and and water resources around the world are
GHG Emissions its Impacts through the establishment of increasingly affected by erratic weather
science-based targets that align with the Paris causing droughts in some areas and floods in
SAGT’s carbon footprint is made up of Agreement’s ambitious goal of limiting global others.
electricity from the national grid, followed by warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
diesel, petrol, and natural gas consumption. To add to this, at the current consumption rate,
Reforestation is another area of interest it is estimated that two-thirds of the world’s
Sri Lanka’s national grid is largely dependent for SAGT which has set a goal of 1:1 habitat population may face water shortages as soon
on hydropower; therefore, it must be noted restoration in the Yagiragala Forest Reserve by as 2025, raising concerns that ecosystems
that the carbon footprint therein is significantly end 2021. The project launched in 2019 under around the world will suffer even more.
lower in comparison to countries producing the theme ‘Beating Air Pollution’ was originally
power solely through fossil fuels. aimed at planting 700 trees in a 1-acre land SAGT’s location Colombo is not classified as
area in Yagirala in order to restore degraded an area with water scarcity. Sri Lanka however
SAGT’s total carbon footprint (CO2 footprint) forest patches with native floral species. SAGT has country-level water scarcity risk owing to
for the current financial year was 27,496 expanded its commitment by undertaking to severe drought conditions that have arisen in
MT, with Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions reforest an area up to 5 acres (3500 trees). other parts of the country following the failure
accounting for 13,962 MT and 13,534 MT of consecutive monsoons in the recent past.
respectively. The increase in the carbon The health of the ocean and its ecosystems
footprint was associated with the increased is vital for SAGT’s operations and business GRI 303-1: Interactions with water as a
consumption of electricity during operational continuity; the Company thus conducts annual shared resource
activities during the year in review. coastal clean-up programmes at selected SAGT water requirements are met though
locations around the island. The programmes municipal water supplied though the National
Carbon 2020/21 2019/2020 involve SAGT employees, relevant government Water Supply and Drainage Board of Sri
footprint by organisations and the Sri Lanka Navy. The Lanka. Withdrawn water is utilized in the
Energy type (MT) (MT) annual coastal cleanup for the year 2020/21 canteen, staff washrooms, and for washing
was not carried out due to the COVID-19 and general cleaning of equipment and the
Diesel 13,868 14,390 pandemic. terminal premises.
Petrol 1 2
LPG While SAGT’s own water usage does not
Electricity 93 97 cause any direct water related impacts,
13,534 12,371 the Company has undertaken measures
to maximize water recycling to reduce its