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Our environment
The Met Office is an organisation with the environment very much at heart. We are committed to acting in an environmentally responsible manner, ensuring that our impacts are identified and managed effectively.
While there are noticeable highs and lows in year to year data, over longer periods of time there is a discernible warming trend across the globe.
Natural causes can explain only a small part of this warming. The majority of scientists agree that this is due to rising concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere caused by human activities.
Our climate change predictions are widely respected and governments worldwide use these to try to plan for and adapt to the changes to come.
At the Met Office we go to great lengths to ensure that our environmental impacts are as low as they can be.
The Met Office Climate Change guide
Biodiversity
At our Exeter HQ we've had a Biodiversity Working Group since 2010. Our grounds have a wildflower meadow with a splendid array of flora and fauna, ponds and even beehives.
We are one of a small number of companies to have achieved the prestigious Wildlife Trust's Biodiversity Benchmark Award.
Our headquarters
Our Exeter HQ building became operational in 2003, housing over 1200 staff.
The building was designed with the environment in mind and considerable effort is made to ensure that our environmental impacts are continually reviewed.
Our supercomputers
Our weather forecasts and climate change predictions are produced using sophisticated computer models run on very powerful IBM computers.
The supercomputers require a lot of electricity and must also be kept cool so that they can run efficiently.
A number of schemes have been implemented to make the Supercomputers more efficient, using less electricity and therefore producing less GHG emissions.
Travel
Staff are encouraged to consider greener alternatives to travelling by car. Wherever possible our staff use the most sustainable means of transport for business travel.
We encourage car sharing, cycling to work and staff are asked to think about alternatives to air travel when on business.
Waste and recycling
We have an ethos of reduce, reuse and recycle and are proud of our how little waste we send to landfill. We want to recycle even more this year.
The future
We do a lot to minimise our environmental impacts but we do not rest on our laurels. There is more that we can do, both now and in the future.
Environmental Policy 2012
(PDF, 85 kB)
Sustainability Summary 2010/11
(PDF, 4 MB)
