London, UK – ExCeL London, the sprawling events complex situated in the heart of the city’s regenerated Docklands, has announced a significant acceleration in its commitment to environmental sustainability, bringing its target for achieving net zero emissions forward by five years. The venue, London’s largest at a formidable 125,000 square metres, now aims to reach net zero by 2045, positioning itself ahead of anticipated legislative requirements in the United Kingdom.
The announcement coincides with the UK’s Net Zero Week, observed this year from July 5th to July 11th, underscoring the venue’s proactive stance on addressing the climate crisis. Alongside the revised target, ExCeL London has publicly released its comprehensive Net Zero Transition Plan, detailing the strategic roadmap to decarbonise its extensive operations.
A Leading Commitment in the Events Industry
This accelerated target marks a pivotal moment for the global events industry, with ExCeL London reportedly becoming the first venue of its immense size to commit to such an ambitious, self-imposed deadline. The move builds upon the venue’s prior engagement with global sustainability initiatives.
In April 2022, ExCeL London became a signatory of the COP26-backed Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge. This international pledge commits organisations within the events sector to take a leadership role in driving the transition to a low-carbon economy, aligning with the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The newly unveiled Net Zero Transition Plan is designed to be a robust, actionable framework, outlining both short-term gains and long-term strategic initiatives necessary to achieve the 2045 target. Critically, the plan addresses all three scopes of greenhouse gas emissions: Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy), and Scope 3 (all other indirect emissions that occur in the value chain, such as from attendee travel, waste generated in operations, and purchased goods and services).
Charting the Path: Past Achievements and Future Ambitions
ExCeL London has not waited to begin its decarbonisation journey. The venue has already implemented several significant measures, laying a solid foundation for its future efforts. These include procuring 100% renewable electricity for its operations, a critical step in addressing Scope 2 emissions. The venue has also transitioned to using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) biodiesel, a renewable fuel source, for its on-site machinery and generators, helping to reduce Scope 1 emissions.
Further past progress includes the installation of energy-efficient LED digital screens throughout the venue, drastically cutting down energy consumption compared to older technologies. Demonstrating a long-standing commitment to waste reduction, ExCeL London has maintained a stringent zero waste-to-landfill policy for more than a decade, diverting waste streams to recycling or energy recovery facilities.
The newly launched transition plan doesn’t just highlight past successes; it details the concrete steps planned for the coming years. Future initiatives include exploring further opportunities for on-site renewable energy generation and implementing enhanced resource efficiency programmes across the complex. The plan sets a specific, ambitious target to achieve a 75% recycling rate by 2025, a significant increase that will require concerted effort from both venue operations and event organisers and attendees.
Looking further ahead, the roadmap outlines ambitions to transition ExCeL London’s operational fleet to be fully hybrid or electric by 2030. This move will be crucial in reducing direct emissions from venue transport and logistics.
Leadership and Vision
Jeremy Rees, CEO of ExCeL London, emphasized the venue’s determination to lead by example within the global events community. “We understand the critical role the events industry must play in addressing the climate crisis,” Rees stated. “Bringing forward our net zero target is not just about meeting future regulations; it’s about demonstrating leadership and inspiring action across our sector and supply chain.”
Rees highlighted that this ambitious goal is strongly supported by the venue’s owners, ADNEC Group, based in Abu Dhabi, reinforcing the global significance of the commitment. The CEO also acknowledged the vital work of the venue’s dedicated sustainability managers, including Natalie Sykes, who are instrumental in developing and implementing the detailed strategies required to achieve the target.
By accelerating its net zero timeline and publishing its comprehensive transition plan, ExCeL London is setting a high benchmark for large-scale venues worldwide. The plan serves as a transparent declaration of intent and a practical guide for action, signalling a dedicated effort to minimise the environmental footprint of the events it hosts and contribute meaningfully to the global fight against climate change.
