Climate Change

Moving to Net Zero

Climate change is the most pressing emergency the world faces today. The climate crisis impacts people’s lives and livelihoods, the planet’s biodiversity and the availability of natural resources. The Scotch Whisky industry has a responsibility to help tackle the crisis – both through collaboration across the industry and through direct action by each of our member companies.

Transparency

Decarbonising our operations (Scopes 1 and 2) is a priority for our industry, and one that is largely in the power of companies of all sizes to adapt, adopt and improve. As an industry, we’ll use a science-based approach to reach this target.

Our 2022 baseline figure, which demonstrates our sector’s current emissions total across our operations, will be a clear, data-led point from which we can accurately measure progress.

We plan to report on our operational emissions annually.

Efficiency

Mashing and distillation are energy-intensive processes. In many distilleries energy is used to produce steam, which is currently generated in boilers by combusting fuel. While many Scotch Whisky sites are just a few years old, built with sustainability at their heart, many others have existed for decades, sometimes over a century. Innovating heat reduction technology in historical and heritage spaces is complex, costly, and at times impractical.

Significant investments have already been made in renewable heat using existing technology, and you can explore some ways that’s being done across Scotch Whisky companies, below.

Utilising new technology

Being sustainable, being energy efficient: you can’t do that without innovation

Collaboration

It’s too big an agenda: if we as an industry start sharing knowledge, we can all get there faster.

The Scotch Whisky Industry's Scope 1 & 2 emissions

In January 2021, the industry refreshed its sustainability ambitions. Among these is a commitment to decarbonise our own operations by 2040 and to achieve net zero by 2045. We have built a solid baseline for the industry’s operational (scope 1 and 2) emissions, against which future performance will be measured and reported annually. The baseline covers the calendar year 2022. We have now published data for 2024. In line with recognised reporting protocols, we have updated the baseline data. Re-baselining is necessary to account for any changes to the number of sites reporting. This is to enable more accurate comparisons to be made between the 2022 and 2024 data sets.

Methodology

The data relates to members' UK sites which have a function or activity associated with the Scotch Whisky industry. For example, distilleries, blending and bottling facilities and offices in the UK which handle sales. It does not cover any sites owned or operated in the UK by members which do not have any connection to Scotch Whisky, for example a brewery or a gin distillery.

Outline

Reporting period covered:
	January-December 2022 (updated)	January-December 2024
List of Facilities included in the inventory
Distilleries Maturation warehousing sites Blending and bottling facilities Other sites (e.g. cooperages, maltings, offices etc...)	85 27 15 18	85 25 14 20

Understanding Scope 1 & 2 Emissions Data

Emissions reported for scope 1 and 2 have been calculated in line with the World Resources Institute's Greenhouse Gas Protocol (Corporate Standard). We will continue to update the methodology as those external reporting protocols are updated.

Emissions reduced by 9% between 2022 and 2024 despite an increase in spirit production at distilleries.

Total energy use reduced by 3%.

Scope 1 & 2 greenhouse gas emissions and associated energy: 2022 (updated baseline) and 2024

		2022 updated baseline		2024
	GHG Emissions (tCO2e)	Associated Energy Use (MWh)	GHG Emissions (tCO2e)	Associated Energy Use (MWh)
UK Scope 1 gross emissions	588,878	2,926,486	531,481	3,147,653
UK Scope 2 gross emissions	65,270	385,336	65,056	393,667
UK total Scope 1 + Scope 2 gross emissions/energy (location based)	654,147	3,311,822	596,537	3,541,320

Note: the data in the above table relates to the 144 sites that reported in 2024. Unlike the total emission footprint detailed below, the data above has not been extrapolated to calculate an industry total.

Further Emissions Data (including Scope 3)

Further Data

	2022 updated baseline		2024
	GHG emissions	Associated energy use	GHG emissions	Associated energy use
	Quantity (unit)	Quantity	Quantity	Quantity
Underlying total energy consumption used to calculate gross emissions		3,311,822 (MWh)		3,541,320 (MWh)
Emission/energy intensity ratio (this relates to distilling only)	0.93 (kgC0₂e/lpa)	5.14 (kWh/lpa)	0.85 (kgC0₂e/lpa)	5.10 (kWh /lpa)
Total Scope 1 and Scope 2 (market based) emissions and energy	496,635 (tCO₂e)	3,311,822 (MWh)	466,153 (tCO₂e)	3,541,320 (MWh)
Out of scope emissions associated with biogenic energy usage	41,394 (tCO₂)		38,652 (tCO₂)
Out of scope emissions associated with avoided emissions	12,775 (tCO₂e)		11,149 (tCO₂e)

DEFINITIONS

Emission intensity ratio and energy efficiency relates to distilling only. It is based on the emissions associated with energy use at distilleries. A corresponding energy efficiency figure is reported alongside. This is shown as the amount of energy (kWh) taken to produce one litre of pure alcohol (lpa)

Market-based emissions are an accepted way of accounting for the emissions associated with renewable energy that is generated off-site but transported to a site via the grid. For example, a company purchasing electricity under a qualifying green tariff may report lower emissions under the market-based approach, than it would under the location-based approach. Strict rules on eligibility criteria apply to determine what energy qualifies.

Emissions associated with biogenic energy usage reflect the CO2 related to the use of biomass, biogas and grid supplied electricity.

Emissions associated with avoided emissions are associated with the energy that is exported off-site and used by third-parties. 

The industry's total emissions footprint

An assessment of the industry’s total emission footprint was completed in 2026. The assessment covers Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions and is aligned with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Corporate Standard. A bespoke methodology was developed to account for Scotch Whisky's unique production methods (including maturation timescales), and member data has been extrapolated to calculate an industry-wide estimate.

	GHG emissions (mt CO2e)
Scope 1	0.56	16%
Scope 2	0.07	2%
Scope 3	2.93	82%
Total	3.56	100%

DEFINITIONS

Scope 1 includes direct emissions from activities or assets owned or controlled by members.

Scope 2 includes indirect emissions from consumption of purchased electricity, heat, steam, and cooling.

Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that occur in the upstream and downstream activities of the industry

Decarbonisation pathways

In January 2021 the SWA published a report which set out potential decarbonisation pathways that are available to the Scotch Whisky industry. A lot has changed since then, and in 2024 we commissioned consultants to review and update the original pathways assessment to take account of developments in technology, policies and infrastructure, as well as companies' ambition and plans. The project concluded in July 2025.

A summary of the report can be obtained by contacting info@swa.org.uk

As it did in 2021, the 2025 update relates to reducing greenhouse gas emissions that arise from the industry’s operational sites (covering Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.) The pathway modelling has been informed by data, insights provided by member companies, policy developments and updated information on technology advances.