The Race to Zero – three ambitious campaigns for your organisation to join

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Introduction

In October 2018 the IPCC published a special report highlighting the need for us to stay below 1.5 degrees warming compared to pre-industrial times. Since this announcement, a plethora of campaigns and policies have been put forward across the globe some more pertinent than others.

Recently Germany passed a bill to be coal free by 2038 and nuclear free by 2022. This is hugely positive and sets an example for the rest of the world. The UK has set a legal target to be net zero by 2050.

This said, it can be hard as an organisation or indeed a country to know where to start. This article will evaluate the following three campaigns initiated to tackle climate change and to stay within the 1.5 degree trajectory:

1) UNFCC Race to Zero (Call to join the Climate Ambition Alliance)
2) Business Ambition for 1.5C
3) Science Based Targets (SBTi - the coalition is CDP, WWF, UNGC, WRI)

All three campaigns offer clear guidance in line with scientific research yet they each take a slightly different approach. The Science Based Targets initiative focuses on mitigation (limiting the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted) whereas the UNFCC Race to Zero is centred around adaptation (preparing for the consequences). The Business Ambition for 1.5C provides a call to action for businesses whereas the UNFCC Race to Zero is a space for nation, business, and investor collaboration.

A barrier to all three campaigns is that they are not compulsory. Organisations must opt to sign up. There is no binding law that means all businesses or countries must set targets in line with climate science. However, signing up will ensure you future proof your business.

As more and more stakeholders sign up there is an increased pressure for all of us to follow suit and work towards a future devoid of the climate crisis.

UNFCC Race to Zero (Call to join the Climate Ambition Alliance)

Race To Zero is a global campaign to rally leadership and support for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon recovery that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth.

Race to Zero is a call to join the climate change ambition alliance led by Chile,  a collaboration of 114 nations who are determined to follow climate change science and stay within the 1.5-degree trajectory of warming above pre-industrial times.

The alliance focuses on adaptation -  ‘actions taken to minimise the impacts of climate change across individual, local, organisational, and national levels. Essentially a ‘be prepared for the consequences’ approach, with a view to minimise vulnerability and increase resilience.’

The alliance particularly focuses on adaption regarding water, cities and infrastructure. Cities account for 70% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. What’s more 55% of the world’s population live in cities.  

Race to Zero mobilises a coalition of leading net zero initiatives, representing 449 cities, 21 regions, 995 businesses, 38 of the biggest investors, and 505 universities. Collectively these actors accounts for nearly 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions which have set net-zero targets by 2050, in line with climate science.

How to join the race to zero?

You can sign up as a network, supporter or actor by filling in an application form. 

Join the race

This needs to outline your pledge, the plan you have in place, actions taken, a published strategy report, your carbon footprint, any offsetting you may do, future uncertainties and governance arrangements. 

Going through this application form will involve assessing your operations and working out how best to reduce your carbon footprint. Consequently, it is a worthwhile exercise one which has many benefits.

An advantage of joining the UNFCC Race to Zero is membership of an extensive network with useful tools and resources, and participating in best practice and leadership projects in climate change strategy. Joining is completely free and enables your organisation to benchmark against others in the same industry. Sharing ideas and innovation though the alliance can help us combat climate change.

Business Ambition for 1.5C  - SBTi, We Mean Business, UNGC

The Business Ambition for 1.5 is a call to action for businesses across the world to do their bit for climate change. The agreement has been signed by 271 corporate leaders, including representative from Zurich Insurance, Unilever, Tesco and Pepsi Co.

For a business to sign up they must sign this letter promising to either set science based targets in line with 1.5 degree scenarios or make a net zero commitment by 2050 and interim science-based targets.

Science based targets are goals which align with the latest climate science. A company must reduce their carbon footprint emissions by enough to ensure we do not exceed 1.5 degrees of warming.

To set science-based targets you must first calculate your carbon footprint. This can be done using Compare Your Footprint – an online carbon calculator tool. Compare Your Footprint has signed up to the Business Ambition for 1.5C.

Following this, sustainability consultants such as Green Element can help you set science-based target reductions. For scope 1, 2 and 3 this will be a reduction of roughly 46% by 2030. If your businesses scope 3 makes up less than 40% of your overall carbon footprint it does not need to be included in your target.

Interim science-based targets can be in line with a 2-degree trajectory allowing companies more flexibility in the short term but a more vigorous strategy in the long term to reach net zero.

If you have already set up science based targets it is highly recommended that you sign the Business Ambition for 1.5C as you have already done all the hard work. Plus at this stage it is completely free. Read on to learn about the benefits of setting science-based targets.

Science Based Targets initiative
​(SBTi - the coalition is CDP, WWF, UNGC, WRI)

What is the Science Based Targets initiative?

Science Based Targets initiative is a ‘collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), World Resources Institute (WRI), and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and one of the We Mean Business Coalition commitments.’

The initiative verifies targets and publishes them helping to promote achieving goals and encourages others to follow suit. The Science Based Targets initiative provides tools and guidance to organisations wishing to reduce their environmental impact.

To join the initiative costs: ‘USD 4950 (+VAT). This includes two target assessments (companies can choose between one preliminary and one official, or two official validations). Subsequent resubmissions under the target validation service cost USD 2490 (+ applicable VAT) per submission’.

There is also a discount for SMEs (companies with fewer than 500 full time employees). SMEs now only pay $1,000 US dollars to have their science-based targets verified. Plus, they can bypass the initial step of committing to the target and the target validation process. They also have more flexibility in setting targets and don’t have to include scope 3.

Included in the cost of joining the Science Based Targets initiative is having your targets verified by an external body, a wealth of publicity and tools and resources needed to calculate your emission goals in line with the latest science.

Why sign up?

Setting science-based targets will:

  • Save you money – monitoring your operations will highlight areas that can be streamlined. Plus, swapping to renewable energy you will see a cut in your monthly bills.
  • Future-proof your business - there are numerous risks associated with climate change, so it is important to act now to mitigate these. More organisations are signing up and you do not want to be left behind.
  • Create an opportunity to innovate your service offerings - transform your business model by catalysing a transition towards a low carbon economy.
  • Improve your reputation and attract more business opportunities. An increasing number of companies now place a heavy emphasis on environmental factors, which are accounted for in a variety of processes, particularly tendering. SBTs will ensure your business is at the forefront.  Many employees also place much more value working for a more responsible employer, particularly the younger generations, who are going into the workforce.
  • Improve your credibility - demonstrating a commitment towards SBTs will improve your organisation’s stance in the market. An increasing number of organisations are already divesting from those involved in fossil fuel production or consumption.
  • Comply with new regulation - there will undoubtedly be an increasing amount of environmental regulation and mandatory reporting requirements that will arise in the future. Already in 2019, the new SECR requirements were rolled out. Setting SBTs will ensure that your business is well prepared for these.
  • Resilience - adopting more circular principles within your business means more protection from risk – you can’t manage what you don’t measure

How to sign up

There are four key steps in the process.

1. Commit

Your organisation needs to submit a signed commitment letter to demonstrate that you will be taking action.

2. Set the target

A window of 24 months after Step 1 will be given for developing the target.

3. Submit target

A ‘target submission form’ is to be completed after target has been developed. This will be verified.

4. Announce

Once approved, you are good to go – you can showcase the target and communicate it out.

Note – The current focus of SBTs is on corporates. SBTi does not work with cities, governments, public sector organisations, educational institutions, and NGOs at present.

If you’d like to know more about SBTs or would like to be a part of this initiative, please do get in touch with us.

Which campaign should my organisation sign up to?

All three campaigns prove useful exercises, they allow your organisation to monitor and benchmark your entire operations.

For all three the first step is calculating your carbon footprint. For this you can use Compare Your Footprint our online carbon calculator. All you have to do is plug in your data and the rest is taken care for you. Once your report has been generated, you’ll be able  to set the appropriate targets, goals and pledges for you to embark upon your journey on the path to net zero.

Setting the goals and targets will be the same for the Science Based Targets initiative and Business Ambition for 1.5C.  Consequently, after you set your science-based targets it is worthwhile signing up to the Business Ambition for 1.5C. There is no extra cost to this, and it will greatly enhance your public profile. What is more, signing up to both initiatives will promote staying within the 1.5C trajectory among global corporates, encouraging others to follow suit.  If we are to meet our global climate change targets it is paramount that businesses actively set goals and lead the way. A great way to do this is to join forces and sign up to campaigns like these.

The UNFCC Race to Zero (Call to join the Climate Ambition Alliance) differs slightly from both for the Science Based Targets initiative and Business Ambition for 1.5C, in so far as it has a bigger scope which focuses on not only reducing greenhouse gas emissions but putting in place initiatives to protect us from the changes that will take place due to a warming climate. For example, The UNFCC Race to Zero focuses on long term decision making and governance and encourages applicants to consider how their targets link to political declarations and actions. 

If you need help measuring your carbon footprint, get in touch with us today.

Access other helpful resources below to help you enter the race to net zero:

READ: Business Road Map to Net Zero
DOWNLOAD: How Green is your SME?

DOWNLOAD 2020 UK government carbon emission conversion factors

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Each year the UK government publishes an updated set of greenhouse gas emission conversion factors for calculating carbon emissions for a range of activities and processes.  Compare Your Footprint uses this set of average carbon factors for UK-based organisations, and where relevant also for some international operations, in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol average data method.

What's New for greenhouse gas calculations in 2020?  

1. New cars real world emissions reductions

The uplift factor for new vehicle registrations is now sourced from Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) protocol, resulting in a significant decrease in the calculated emissions to reflect real world testing. The result should be a general continuation of the year-to-year trends in the improvements in the calculated fleet-wide real-world CO2 emission factors of cars.

2. Increase in biodiesel emissions calculations

The biodiesel factors have been aligned to National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) methodologies which assume that the methanol reagent in the synthesis of biodiesel (Fatty acid methyl esters, FAME) is derived from fossil feedstock and so this is now accounted for within the biodiesel factors, resulting in a significant increase in the emissions from biodiesel.

3. SECR factors

To help companies comply with Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has added SECR factors for converting distances travelled in passenger vehicles into kWh as required for annual directors' carbon reporting for quoted and large unquoted companies.

4. Composting use increase

Increased accuracy in the methodology for calculating emissions factors from composting has led to a significant increase in the impacts of using compost on CO2 levels.

5. Books factor removed

The conversion factors for ‘Books’ have been removed in this publication to avoid duplication as these factors are identical to the ‘Paper and board: paper’ factors.


DOWNLOAD CONVERSION FACTORS 

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How Green is your SME?

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In the last 170 years, we have added 2.4 trillion tons of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, whereby half of this amount has been added in the previous 30 - 35 years (The World Counts, 2020). As a result, governments and business are being placed under increasing pressure to introduce and implement sustainable practices that cut down total greenhouse gasses.

One of the most effective ways for an enterprise to become more sustainable is by monitoring and minimising its carbon footprint and the emissions it releases. But this is not always a simple exercise for Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Despite 88% of SME CEOs valuing sustainability, 70% struggle to embed the practices and strategies to be greener.

The University of Edinburgh Business School has published this white paper specifically for SMEs to include several different drivers influencing businesses call to reduce their carbon footprint and inevitably become more environmentally friendly.

Contents:

  • What is Sustainability?
  • What is the current problem?
  • The benefits of understanding your Carbon Footprint
  • Why is it important to solve this problem?
  • Barriers to implement sustainability policies
  • Why your stakeholders need you to be more sustainable
  • Being sustainable can benefit your company financially
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10 actions to reduce carbon emissions from your business

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Businesses however big or small can reduce their carbon emissions, there are many changes that can be made to business operations in order to do this.

We have compiled 10 actions you can take to significantly reduce carbon emissions.

 

1. Switch to renewable energy backed by REGO certificates

green energy

REGOs – or Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin assures that the energy supplied to you is 100% renewably sourced.

The GHG Protocol market-based calculation method to calculate your carbon footprint focuses on the fuel mix of your electricity supplier. Consequently, if you use renewable energy you will reduce carbon emissions for electricity to zero!

2. Reduce carbon emissions from air travel

air travel

Increasingly, even before the Coronavirus crisis companies were opting to travel less for business. Instead, opting to use popular software programmes such as Zoom and Skype to conduct meetings. Now it seems to be the new normal.

If you have to travel, consider travelling by train domestically to reduce emissions from air travel. However, if you have to travel by plane, investigate the flight class that is being used. Using the 2019 UK Defra Carbon Factors for a long haul flight, the emissions per passenger km for first class travel are 0.60kg CO2e, for business class 0.43kg CO2e and for economy 0.15kg CO2e. This is calculated by the amount of space taken up per seat on the plane.

This means a one-way flight from London Heathrow to New York JFK airport will have a carbon footprint per person of 3684kg CO2e for first class, 2671kg CO2e for business class and 921kg CO2e for economy class. For those undertaking several trips per year, a switch from business to economy class will mean a reduction in comfort but also a significant difference in the associated emissions.

3. Reduce carbon emissions from road travel

electric car

If you have your own fleet install a telematics system (GPS tracking) to allow the collection of data that can help analyse your fleet’s usage and make your fleet more efficient. Analysis of telematics data could inform criteria for future purchase/leasing decisions.

Choosing more fuel efficient or alternatively fuelled vehicles such as alternative fuel or electric vehicles. Government grants are available to subsidise the cost of new low-emissions vehicles. As with the cost of alternative fuel or electric vehicles the government also offers subsidies to those installing charge points at home.

It is worthwhile engaging with The Energy Saving Trust (EST) who can carry out several different reviews to help you make your fleet greener and more efficient. EST’s Green Fleet Reviews are usually available at no cost for most private and public sector organisations in England as they are paid for by the UK Government to promote energy efficiency goals. Green Fleet Reviews identify opportunities to reduce emissions, fuel costs and expenditure.

Additional, try raining drivers in ecodriving techniques to save fuel and reduce emissions. In summary this consists of teaching drivers how to drive with more anticipation of road conditions and more consideration of fuel economy.

4. Increase the efficiency of your office lighting

Changing lighting throughout a building to more energy efficient options such as LED can make a big difference and is a quick win with long lasting effects. Ensure that natural light is used when adequate, many offices are artificially lit unnecessarily. Natural light saves energy and has been found to improve sleep and avoid health risks associated with unnatural lighting such as an elevated stress response.

Solar shading and transparent film can be used to help to minimise glare and excessive heat. There is also an array of technology available, such as motion sensors which will automatically ensure lights are switched off if rooms are not in use. Dimmable lights are another method to ensure lights aren’t at their brightest maximum when not required.

5. Reduce energy usage in your data centre and comms room

Set cooling systems to a higher temperature to save energy and increase cooling capacity

Often data centres are set around 19°C resulting in unnecessary energy usage. Data centres can save 8% to 9% in energy costs for every 1°C increase in server inlet temperature. 23°C is the optimum temperature for many data centres to save energy without risking overheating.

Set up hot and cool isles

Typically, only 40% of the electricity consumed in a data centre is used by IT equipment. A staggering 60% is consumed by the server room infrastructure: air conditioning, lighting, UPS systems, etc. Reorganising your aisles into either hot or cold air containment systems could save you 20% to 40% in annual cooling system energy.

Install plastic curtains

The most simple and cost-effective hot air containment system we found is used by Google and involves placing metal-end caps on rows and vinyl plastic curtains, such as those used in meat lockers. This prevents air of different temperatures from mixing, whilst maintaining ease of access and flexible rack layouts.

 

6. Optimise your heating and cooling systems

  • Implement temperature controls, ensuring heating and air conditioning is timed correctly and appropriate for the outside air temperature. This can minimise over heating or cooling. Lots of energy can be wasted if heating and cooling systems are competing, this can be avoided by installing a Building Management system. Additionally, make sure energy isn’t wasted by excessive heating/cooling overnight.
  • Ensure staff are trained on local heating and cooling units to avoid dramatic swings in temperature or take away the capability to manually adjust the thermostat and have them centrally controlled.
  • Make sure your boiler is regularly serviced to ensure it is operating as efficiently as possible. In addition, regularly clean fins on heating and cooling appliances.
  • Consider installing window film, that allows light in but reflects the heat back out during the summer. This gives you the benefit of natural light without causing increased need for air conditioning. This film can be reversed in winter so that heat is reflected into room.

7. Reduce, reuse, recycle

Thinking about sustainable procurement can act as an exercise to engage employees with ways they can reduce consumption of items such as water, paper, food and drink, laptops, phones and packaging. Manufacture and transport of all these items has an associated carbon footprint, therefore, minimising consumption reduces carbon emissions.

Purchasing recycled paper or refurbished phones and IT equipment is an easy way to reduce your businesses carbon footprint. Buying recycled paper instead of primary production reduces carbon emissions as stipulated by the GHG Protocol. If your business has a large supply chain, then it is particularly important to ensure that sustainability is fed right through.

8. Reduce carbon emissions from food and food waste

vegetables

  • Food takes a significant amount of energy to produce and transport. Therefore, food waste can be source of carbon, particularly if your business has a canteen serving fresh food daily. Check with your waste contractor if food waste collection is possible.
  • Ensure that kitchen staff are all trained and aware of the issue, and provide proper facilities, in kitchens, dining rooms and canteens for employees to dispose of any food waste they may have. Additionally, it is worth looking into food waste apps like Olio for example.
  • If your business has a canteen or café it is worth making sure you have vegan and vegetarian options available to encourage staff to choose to eat food with fewer associated carbon emissions. 18% of global emissions are associated with livestock agriculture (FAO Report). Providing employees with good vegan and vegetarian food options can help to reduce your businesses carbon footprint.

9. Minimise single use plastic

By introducing sustainable procurement policies as suggested above, your plastic waste will be reduced. The next step to reduce plastic is to look as removing all (or as many as possible), single use plastic items from your business model.

Be cautious of biodegradable or compostable materials as many of them can’t be combined with food waste. Here is a more in-depth article outlining suitable alternatives to single use plastics.

 

10. Print as minimally as possible

Many offices consume vast amounts of paper. Take action to cut down paper usage, especially by reducing printing, and digitising (e.g. online contract signings, avoiding printing emails, presentations and annotating on screen instead). Energy is used to manufacture and transport paper, you can reduce carbon emissions by minimising paper consumption.

If printing is required, ensure double sided printing is set as a default. Having ‘follow me’ printing services across office printers can also help cut down any accidental or unnecessary printing as options can be altered at the time of printing.

Further guidance…

To hear more about how you can reduce your carbon footprint sign up for a demo of CompareYourFootprint now. Alternatively you can register and start using CompareYourFootprint today!

 

FREE WEBINAR 19 May 2020 4pm (UTC+1): The Essential Guide to Greenhouse Gas Inventories

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At Compare Your Footprint, we want to help as many businesses as ever to go ‘green’.
 
This is why we offered a free webinar for businesses looking to be guided through the carbon emission reporting inventories, as defined by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, with a specific focus on the corporate value chain and Scope 3 categories.
 
The presenter was Emma Littlewood, Co-founder of Compare Your Footprint and Senior Sustainability Analyst for Green Element.
 

Get in touch for a copy of the webinar recording

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An Introduction to the GHG Protocol

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Greenhouse Gases are gases that absorb and emit radiation within the thermal infrared range. Those in Earths atmosphere are mostly water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Whilst necessary, as without them the Earths temperature would be around -18°C, humans have caused an increase of 40% in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, which in turn is leading to the warming of the planet and other associated issues such as ocean acidification, rising sea levels and species loss. It is therefore vital that we stay aware of our impact on the planet, and do our best to manage greenhouse gas emissions.

What is the GHG Protocol?

The GHG Protocol is the most widely used accounting tool to manage, understand and quantify greenhouse gas emissions. Used by government and business leaders, the GHG Protocol is a decade-long partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). It serves as the foundation for almost every greenhouse gas standard in the world, as well as offering an internationally accepted tool for businesses to compete in a global marketplace.

Why are we getting involved?

We are now working towards achieving the GHG Protocol Mark, which will allow us to have the backing of the WRI and the WBCSD on the certifications we issue. Our tool will adhere to their standards, enabled by our BETA customers who have enabled us to pay for the audit. This will enable us to help companies achieve further certification, beyond the ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 20121, BS 8555 and B Corp certifications we already offer.

What the GHG Protocol means for us

Being a part of the GHG protocol means a lot to us. It goes beyond allowing companies to measure, manage and report their greenhouse gases, as it gives our customers a competitive edge on the marketplace. In 2016, at least 92% of Fortune 500 companies responding to the Carbon Disclosure Project used the GHG Protocol, only strengthening its reputation amongst market leaders. Incorporating this into our system facilitates competition with these corporations, and will allow businesses with our certification to strengthen their position.

The GHG Protocol will allow us to strengthen our carbon footprint certification, and put your business in a better position as a B-Corp. If you have any questions about the GHG Protocol or your organisations carbon emissions, get in touch with us via our contact page.

What makes up a Carbon Footprint – The Basics

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In our modern era of a warming climate and ever increasing awareness, there is a myriad of terms that we, as a population, may only be partly aware of. ‘Carbon footprint’ is one of those, and it’s full meaning is something of great importance.
In short, a carbon footprint is an estimate of the impact an activity has on our changing, warming, climate. It is a calculation of several aspects: greenhouse gas sources, notably CO2, methane and nitrous oxide; any influencing carbon sinks; and various forms of carbon storage. Then, for the sake of simplicity, all impacts are tallied and expressed as a single number in terms of CO2 equivalent – that is, the amount of CO2 that would need to be emitted to achieve the same level of warming.
Taking a plastic bottle, for example, it may seem simple to calculate its emissions – they would come from the extraction and processing of the oil to turn it into the bottle. However, there are several uncertainties that come into the equation, including the energy used to extract, refine and transport the oil, and the transport involved in moving the final product. Furthermore, one could try to account for the use of paper in the administration of the plastic bottle company, the electricity their computers use and their use of printer paper. It can, effectively, be calculated to an infinitesimal point.

However, this is far too complex, and the estimation of a carbon footprint is therefore based off what is feasible to measure. Small intricacies may not make the final calculation, but any major contributors, such as fuel usage, general conditions and transport logistics, may come in to play. Given this, the carbon footprint calculation is a very powerful tool when it comes to understanding the impact of your behaviour, be it as an individual or collective, on global warming. Calculation and constant monitoring of your carbon footprint is essential to keeping it as low as possible, thus decreasing your harm to the planet.
There are several incentives to knowing what your carbon footprint is and acting on it. First of all, there is a moral incentive to keep your carbon emissions as low as possible and make a contribution to slow down global warming. Secondly, there is a business incentive, whereby businesses will be more inclined to trade with you and you will attract better people, both as employees and clientele. Finally, depending on your location, tax breaks may be available if you lower (and can prove) that you have lowered your carbon emissions, and are continuing to do so.
If you have any questions about Carbon Benchmarking, or would like to speak to us about your organisation’s carbon emissions, get in touch via our contacts page.

What is Carbon Offsetting?

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What is it?
Carbon offsetting can be a hard idea to come round to, but is in reality quite a simple concept. Schemes allow individuals and companies to make a financial contribution to environmentally friendly projects around the world to stabilise their own emissions, be it from travel, day-to-day energy use or material consumption. These may take shape in a variety of forms, including the deployment of clean energy technologies, purchasing carbon credits and tearing them up, or, in a more direct application, planting trees to soak up CO2 in the atmosphere. The costs vary, but will usually equate to around £8 per tonne of carbon offset. For example, a flight from London to Sydney would produce around 2.64 tonnes of CO2 per passenger, so would cost around £22 to offset.

Why is it done?
Carbon offsetting may seem like an unnecessary cost to a holiday or business, but it’s a simple, effective and cost-efficient to lessen our negative impact on the world. Our carbon emissions from fossil fuels alone have risen substantially since the beginning of the 20th century, with the warming effects visible now and in the future. However, the positive effects of carbon offsetting are not only environmental. Several governments around the world have introduced incentives for companies to reduce their carbon emissions. The UK government, for example, offers tax relief on the Climate Change Levy (CCL) if steps are taken towards reducing emissions by entering a Climate Change Agreement (CCA) with the Environment Agency.

 

KLM, the Dutch Airline, have taken it into their own hands and have developed a comprehensive scheme to offset the emissions from their flights. They have partnered with a Ghanaian enterprise that has developed a special coalpot which is 40% more efficient than its traditional counterparts, resulting in annual savings of around 300,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. This has also curbed deforestation, as less coal is needed to fuel the stoves.

This shows how carbon offsetting has changed from just planting trees, which has a short-term effect. Carbon offsetting has moved to more innovative solutions, helping people offset their carbon in ways that will change their lives and their carbon output in the long term.
You can also look to reduce your footprint on the world. Think about it next time you travel or turn the heating on, as there could be a cost-efficient way to reduce your impact on the world. If you would like to find out more about your or your organisation’s emissions, please get in touch via our contact us page.

A Beginner’s Glossary to Carbon Benchmarking

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We see a lot of visitors to our site who are curious about measuring the impact of their, or their organisations, impact on the planet through their carbon footprint. Some of these visitors, though, aren’t necessarily aware of a lot of the technical terminology behind what we do. So we set out to define six of the most-used terms associated with measuring one’s carbon footprint. Hopefully, it helps to inform some of our visitors as to what it’s all about.

Benchmarking

Benchmarking is comparing one’s performance with a standard point of reference for measurement. The resulting benchmark then represented a defined level of performance which can be used as a reference for comparison. Benchmarks can be based on averages – or percentiles – of real performance, and is often based on policy-driven objectives such as ‘net zero carbon’ (the idea of reducing one’s carbon footprint to a cumulative zero.

Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases produced to support human activities, both directly and indirectly. It can be attributed to an individual, organisation, country, etc. and is usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). Activities like driving, heating, and food production have associated CO2 emissions. The carbon footprint is then the sum of all of these emissions that were induced by activities within a given timeframe (usually a year).

Carbon Target

A carbon target is a defined value used as a quantitative goal for a company’s carbon footprint or net carbon emissions (footprint minus any carbon offset activities) to meet within a given timeframe. These targets can be absolute, or based on a comparison with industry averages.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Emissions are gases and other particles that are released into the atmosphere as a result of burning fuels and other processes. Generally, these emissions are most likely to come from cars, power generation and industrial processes. A greenhouse gas, then, is a classification of gases that, when released into the atmosphere, are capable of absorbing infra-red radiation. Consequently, this process will trap and hold heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. This is called the greenhouse effect, and ultimately is what leads to global warming. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N2O). So a greenhouse gas emission is when a greenhouse gas is released into the atmosphere.

To learn about the different classifications of greenhouse gas emissions, check out our article on classifying emissions here.

Greenhouse Gas Protocol

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol is a global standard, developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI), that informs companies and organisations on how to measure, manage and report greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a difficult term to define, as many view it in different ways. Essentially, it can be defined as it was at the world’s first Earth Summit in 1992 –  maintaining operations and development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

If you have any questions about Carbon Benchmarking, or would like to speak to us about your organisation’s carbon emissions, get in touch via our contacts page.

The benefits of Carbon Footprinting

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Waste in any form, is bad for business. Quite simply; reducing waste, reduces cost which improves a business’s bottom line.

A carbon footprint helps to identify the waste or inefficiencies within a business in terms of energy and raw material consumption. With energy costs increasing and shortages of water and other natural resources predicted, this information is vital for a business to ensure informed decisions can be made to overcome such adversity.

Finding a major global company that hasn’t completed a carbon footprint is becoming a rarity.   A global standard for carbon foot printing is the GHG protocol. It has set a global standard for how to measure, manage, and report greenhouse gas emissions. Within this protocol companies need to report scope 1 (direct) and scope 2 (indirect) emissions and are coming under increasing pressure to report their scope 3 (indirect) emissions as well. This has shifted the magnifying glass to companies supplying or using services or goods associated with these global companies. This means they are now interested not just in the quality of the service or product within their supply chain but also the effect it will on their carbon footprint.

Carbon foot printing is therefore not just for the big boys. It is for anyone who wants to play with them or even play with those who want to play with them. Put crudely, by carrying out a carbon footprint a business can increase its chances of being asked to play.

Carbon foot printing uses data already collected by a business, such as energy bills and travel expense claims and so does not have to be resource expensive. However, it is not just a tick box exercise that improves a business’s access to this all important group. As already mentioned it helps a business identify ways to reduce cost and risk. Also 92% of young employees prefer to work for organisations with “green” credentials and therefore such companies are able to attract talented individuals who are more likely to stay longer, reducing recruitment and resource costs1 price of tamiflu. In addition, if a business chooses to publish its carbon footprint, and even better have it verified, it can have a positive impact on its brand awareness.

Carbon footprinting has been around for a while now and may almost seem old school – but out of date it is not.  Why?  Put bluntly, it is simple to carry out yet provides a variety of plus’s all of which positively affect the bottom line of any business, big or small. Not hard to see therefore, why it has stood the test of time including times of economic hardship.

 

  1. Mattioli, Dana. How Going Green Draws Talent, Cuts Costs. The Wall Street Journal. November 13, 2007.
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