Three reasons carbon impact assessments should be part of your research projects

Picture this: You’ve spent months refining your research, validating your results, and now you’re ready to take your solution to the next level. Industry partners and funders are intrigued. But then comes the question: “How does this help us meet our net zero targets?”

You pause. You can talk about carbon footprints, maybe even emissions reductions – but the full-scale impact? That’s harder to pin down.

So how do we bridge the gap between research and real-world carbon impact? And more importantly, how can thinking about this early on enhance your project’s relevance and reach?

Here are three compelling reasons to include carbon impact assessments in your research:

1. Aligning with net zero goals
   From global climate agreements to national targets – like the UK’s ambition to be net zero by 2050 – and sector-specific goals (e.g. the water industry aiming for 2030), carbon reduction is no longer optional. Organisations such as National Highways, E.ON , and even schools are making public commitments [1].
   
   This widespread focus means the carbon impact of new technologies, processes, or policies is increasingly a key consideration for research collaborators, funders, and end-users. They want to know not just what your innovation does, but how it contributes to achieving these targets.
   
   To answer that confidently – and avoid the risk of greenwashing – carbon impact assessments must be transparent. That means clearly separating measurable current emissions from potential future impacts, and being honest about assumptions and limitations.
   
   
2. Understanding implementation impacts
   Take, for example, an aeration control system. You might assess its carbon impact by comparing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions [2] – with and without the control system – using existing application data. This kind of direct comparison can support a recommendation for a specific change in a defined location.
   
   However, it only tells part of the story. These single-case assessments reflect a snapshot: one location, one moment in time, and one set of user behaviours. They’re useful for understanding implementation success under current conditions – but they don’t help us understand the broader potential across different contexts.
   
   To move from isolated examples to market-wide insights, we need to explore how the solution performs across varied locations, users, and behaviours.
   
   
3. Navigating risks and uncertainties
   Understanding impact across the potential marketplace – and into the future – requires a different approach. One that incorporates risk, uncertainty, and future possibilities to project a range of outcomes.
   
   This broader view allow us to:

• Uncover opportunities to increase carbon reductions
• Identify where policy, technology, or behavioural factors might limit impact – and plan to mitigate them
• Articulate a range of potential carbon savings to funders and end-users, helping them see how your research supports their net zero goals under different scenarios
  
  By doing this, we move beyond the immediate application and begin to understand how your innovation could scale, adapt, and contribute meaningfully to long-term climate ambitions
  

In summary

Including carbon impact assessments in your research helps you:

✅ Demonstrate alignment with net zero goals
✅ Understand real-world implementation impacts
✅ Anticipate risks and maximise future potential
✅ Communicate your contribution clearly to funders and end-users
✅ Reduce the risk of greenwashing through transparent assessment

Embedding carbon impact assessments equips your research with the clarity, credibility, and foresight needed to engage funders, influence policy, and contribute meaningfully to climate-aligned innovation.

By Dr Bryony Bowman, Water Sustainability Research Fellow from the University of Birmingham

[1] Carbon reduction commitment sources:
The UK’s plans and progress to reach net zero by 2050 – House of Commons Library
Net Zero 2030 Routemap | Water UK
Net zero highways – National Highways
Our Carbon Reduction Plan – Net Zero by 2050 | E.ON
Sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education – GOV.UK

[2] Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions are the internationally recognized categorisations of carbon emissions for calculation and reporting purposes. For further information, see Scope 1, 2, 3 Emissions Explained (With Examples).