SPOC Forum - Decarbonising the river

Decarbonising the river – how the Port of London Authority is reaching net zero and supporting others on the journey.

Speaker: Grace Rawnsley.

Grace joined the Port of London Authority (PLA) in 2023 as the Director of Sustainability and Net Zero Transition. Her responsibilities include the PLA’s sustainability work on net zero and climate adaptation as well as water quality, air quality, and biodiversity. She leads the organisation’s first externally focused net zero strategy aiming to decarbonise river-based activities on the Thames. She has also overseen the PLA’s first-of-its-kind approach to biodiversity net gain in the intertidal zone. As well as kick starting the PLA’s partnership work on sewage discharges with the water industry.

Prior to joining the PLA, Grace spent 13 years at the City of London Corporation in a variety of sustainability and transformation roles. She developed the City’s first Responsible Business Strategy and led the implementation of the City of London Corporation’s climate action work. Prior to the City of London Corporation, Grace worked for a variety of well-known conservation charities including the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, and trained as an Ecologist.