{"id":1273914,"date":"2024-04-11T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.agriland.ie\/?p=1273914"},"modified":"2024-04-11T15:06:47","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T14:06:47","slug":"ms-uk-aims-to-achieve-its-net-zero-goals-by-2040","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lightsail.agriland.ie\/farming-news\/ms-uk-aims-to-achieve-its-net-zero-goals-by-2040\/","title":{"rendered":"M&S UK aims to achieve its ‘Net Zero’ goals by 2040"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Marks & Spencer (M&S) UK has announced that it aims to achieve its Net Zero by 2040 goals, funded through its Plan A Accelerator Fund. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

M&S aims to remove 11,000t of greenhouse emissions and to cut carbon by 8.4%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This includes a \u00a31 million investment in a change to the diet of the pasture-grazed cows to help reduce the amount of methane produced in a cow\u2019s stomach and released into the atmosphere.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

M&S stated that this will not compromise the taste or quality of the milk and they will stay committed to paying the farmers a fair price for the milk they produce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M&S also launched its “Pathway Farming” partnership with beef farmers to identify opportunities to reduce carbon emissions <\/a>from beef rearing, or more efficient use of fertiliser.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the first projects supported by the fund asked customers to donate their unwearable clothes to Oxfam, alongside wearable clothing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These items will be cleaned and used to support fibre to fibre recycling, where fibres are re-used and turned into new material, preventing them from going to landfill.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well, a new trial will use AI data to predict a store\u2019s optimal heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) controls to reduce energy consumption. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is being trailed across six stores. The aim is to reduce HVAC costs by up to 30% and to save 2,000t of carbon annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M&S said that further projects will be announced in the coming months, but some of the initiatives will look at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n