The challenges in figures

1/6

Nearly one person in six worldwide has no access to clean water
Yet unsafe drinking water is the world’s primary cause of death and disease. This is a complex issue with numerous public health, food, economic, social, environmental and geopolitical implications. Through Veolia Water, the water division of Veolia Environnement, the Company is committed to safeguarding public health and protecting people’s environment by defining technical, economic, organizational and rate solutions tailored to each situation.

32x

The average Westerner consumes 32 more energy than the average Chinese person
Energy consumption is rising everywhere, even as resources approach depletion. Limiting the growth of energy demand and reducing CO2 emissions are therefore imperative. Veolia Energy strives to boost the energy efficiency of its plants and curb greenhouse gas emissions. This division of Veolia Environnement is also working to develop plants equipped to use multiple forms of energy, promote renewables and find new solutions.

140 M

140 million metric tons of waste are burned in waste-to-energy plants worldwide
That’s the equivalent of about 220 million barrels of crude oil. Public authorities must address two major problems: waste collection and waste recycling. Viewing waste as a resource, Veolia Environmental Services offers waste-to-energy technologies. By burning waste in incinerators that produce both heat and electricity and storing waste in landfills tapped for biogas, Veolia Environmental Services contributes to the development of renewable energy.

0,3%

0.3% of all water is suitable for human use, and only 2.5% of the Earth’s water is not saltwater.
Against a backdrop of population growth, urbanization, economic growth and agricultural development, Veolia Environnement, through its Veolia Water division, is committed to improving the protection, distribution and treatment of this precious resource. The Company fine-tunes its facilities by eliminating leaks and encouraging careful use of water, and develops alternatives such as seawater desalination

80%

80% of all childhood deaths and illnesses in developing countries are caused by water
Every year, 1.5 million children under the age of five die from infections that can be traced to contaminated water. Infant mortality declines by 55% when there is access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Moreover, along with education and good hygiene, clean water is a vital tool in the fight against disease. Veolia Environnement, the world’s leading water services operator through Veolia Water, contributes to better public health by controlling and minimizing public health risks.

20%

A mere 20% of all energy consumed comes from renewable sources
Non-renewable energy sources, mainly fossil fuels, are becoming scarce. The growth of the world’s population and the exponential rise in energy consumption are making the situation all the more critical. Veolia Environnement, through Veolia Energy, strives to optimize the technical, economic and environmental performance of its energy installations around the world, while also proposing multiple-energy solutions that take advantage of renewable energy sources and/or energy recovery.

2/s

Every second, the world gains two more city-dwellers
That means six million additional city-dwellers per month. In view of this trend, safeguarding the quality of life in urban areas calls for effectively managing environmental constraints, expanding environmental services and optimizing the way they are organized. In response to the concerns of public authorities, Veolia Environnement seeks the most appropriate solutions for each local context in the areas of water, environmental services, energy and transport.

500

At rush hour, one regional train can keep 500 cars off the road
In Europe, air pollution caused by traffic accounts for 6.4% of deaths among children between the ages of one and four. There is an urgent need to adapt the regulatory framework and shift the balance between private transportation and public transit. The public transportation systems marketed by Veolia Transport, a division of Veolia Environnement, help to alleviate traffic in urban areas. Moreover, because these buses run on clean motor fuels or electricity, their environmental impact is limited.

1/3

One city-dweller out of three lives in a shanty town
And in less than two decades, this will be the case of 1.4 billion people. All (or most) are completely lacking in basic infrastructure. Today, however, especially in emerging countries, the authorities are realizing the need to ensure sustainable development in urban areas. Veolia Environnement is at their side to deploy the most appropriate solutions for water and sanitation services, pollution abatement, waste treatment, energy distribution and transit systems, etc.