'Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change'
is the theme for WED 2009. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on
a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180
days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved
management of forests.
This year's host is Mexico which reflects
the growing role of the Latin American country in the fight against climate
change, including its growing participation in the carbon markets.
Whether you are an individual, an organization,
a business or a government, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce
your carbon emissions, the total of which is described as your carbon footprint.
You may think you don’t know where to begin, but by reading this, you
have already begun.
1. Make a commitment
Reducing your carbon footprint is no
different from any other task. Telling people you will reduce carbon emissions
may seem simplistic, but even simple actions like announcing your commitment
to going carbon neutral can be effective, while the simple act of asking for
ideas can lead to creative and innovative solutions. Several countries have
indicated in recent months that they will go carbon neutral, led by Costa Rica,
New Zealand and Norway. The United Nations system itself, led by Secretary-General
Ban ki-Moon, and guided by the UNEP-led Environment Management Group, is moving
towards carbon neutrality. UNEP is also facilitating carbon neutrality in all
sectors and all regions through its climate neutral network.
2. Assess where you stand
It is likely that carbon will eventually
be judged as an atmospheric pollutant and regulated accordingly, with consequent
costs—and opportunities—for all sectors of society. Knowing where
and how you generate greenhouse gases is the first step to reducing them. For
individuals and small businesses, online calculators and internal assessments
can help start the process. Larger organisations may need specialised advice
and tools, such as the new ISO 14064 standard for greenhouse gas accounting
and verification, or the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, provided by the World Resources
Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development, which is an
accounting tool for government and business managers to understand, quantify,
manage and report greenhouse gas emissions.
3. Decide and plan where you want to
go
Based on your assessment of climate-related
risks and opportunities, a strategy and action plan can be developed. Targets
help focus efforts and also provide a benchmark for measuring success. Most
homes or businesses can reduce energy use by 10 per cent—which almost
always results in a 10 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions—with
a one year payback or less. A plan to reduce carbon emissions will first focus
on the type of energy and the way it is used; for example electricity for buildings
and fuel for transport. Reducing this energy can create instant savings. An
effective tool is an energy audit. Many electric utilities and government energy
offices now offer an audit as part of their efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
4. De-carbon your life
There is a broader way to think about
carbon and climate. Everything an individual, organization, business or government
does or uses embodies some form of carbon, either in products themselves or
in the energy and materials it takes to make them. Buildings, fittings and equipment
are all proxies for carbon; ‘carbon copies’ can be chosen based
on the least amount of impact they will have on the climate. Integrating climate
friendly criteria into decision making can trigger a ripple effect.
If consumers, manufacturers and lawmakers
all think ‘low carbon’ and ‘climate friendly’ savings
in carbon emissions will multiply. Take packaging as an example. US retail giant
Wal-Mart worked with one of their toy suppliers to reduce packaging on just
16 items. The toy suppliers saved on packaging costs while Wal-Mart used 230
fewer shipping containers to distribute their products, saving about 356 barrels
of oil and 1,300 trees. By broadening this initiative to 255 items, the company
believes it can save 1,000 barrels of oil, 3,800 trees, and millions of dollars
in transportation costs.
Another example: you can buy paper or
wood products that adhere to internationally certified standards. The Forestry
Stewardship Council (www.fsc.org), for example, is an international non-profit
organisation promoting responsible management of the world’s forests.
The FSC trademark is increasingly recognised as an international standard for
responsible forest management. More than 90 million hectares in more than 70
countries have been certified according to FSC standards while several thousand
products are produced using FSC certified wood and carrying the FSC trademark.
Switching to recycled or sustainably sourced paper can also lead to considerable
savings, reducing both landfill use and carbon emissions. Using recycled paper
can save 1.4 tonnes of CO2 for every tonne of paper and cardboard.
Other ways of reducing your carbon footprint
include wasting less time and energy on travel. Cities can improve public transport
options, companies can encourage low carbon habits (by ceasing to subsidize
parking or investing in hybrid technology company vehicles), and individuals
can car pool or use public transport. Sometimes simple actions can produce a
shift. Secure bicycle storage and changing and shower facilities, for example,
are often inexpensive compared to other parking structures but create a strong
incentive for those who can commute by bicycle. In larger cities with adequate
public transport, a monthly or yearly pass can be offered instead of parking
facilities. Paris and Vienna, for example, offer a public bicycle system that
reduces greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion.
5. Get energy efficient
Improving the efficiency of your buildings,
computers, cars and products is the fastest and most lucrative way to save money,
energy and carbon emissions. This does not mean going without. Energy efficiency
is about increasing productivity but doing more with less. More efficient buildings,
cars and products will a direct and lasting contribution to limiting carbon
emissions. Conventional buildings can account for almost 40 per cent of CO2
emissions. High performance, environmentally accountable, energy efficient and
productive facilities are now economically possible.
Very simple measures can lead to immediate
savings. Just turning off unused lights, motors, computers and heating can substantially
reduce wasted energy—and money. Generally, laptop computers use less energy
than desktop computers and LCD monitors use less energy than CRT screens. Also
consider what to do with equipment when its useful life is finished. Some manufacturers
offer take-back or recycling. Also look for energy efficiency standards. For
appliances, the Energy Star rating is a way to describe efficiency. For many
brands now, the highest energy efficiency rating does not cost any more than
less efficient products. Originally from the United States, Energy Star is now
applicable in Europe.
Think about your travel. Advanced web
and video conferencing technology mean the time is rapidly approaching when
the need to travel will be substantially diminished. A two-day trip to attend
a meeting 1,000 km (600 miles) away can cost about US$2,000 per person when
accommodation, travel and meals are included, while a video conference may cost
as little as US$200. The savings are US$1,800 and about half a tonne of carbon.
Telecommuting is also increasingly an option for many. A study by the Telework
Coalition (www.telcoa.org) found that if 32 million Americans who could telecommute
did so one day a week, they would drive 2 billion kilometres less, save 300
million litres of fuel and gain the equivalent of 32 million extra hours every
week for leisure, family or work.
Lighting can account for 15-20 per cent
of total electricity use. Converting coal at the power plant into incandescent
light is only three per cent efficient. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have
evolved rapidly in the past decade. They now last between six and 15 years and
reduce electricity use by a minimum of 75 per cent compared to a standard incandescent
bulb. The advantages of CFLs and other high efficiency lighting have prompted
legislation to ban incandescent bulbs. In 2007, Australia was the first country
to mandate that no incandescent bulbs will be sold by 2012, a move that will
reduce emissions by four million tonnes and cut power bills for lighting by
up to 66 per cent.
Americans who could telecommute did so
one day a week, they would drive 2 billion kilometres less, save 300 million
litres of fuel and gain the equivalent of 32 million extra hours every week
for leisure, family or work.
Lighting can account for 15-20 per cent
of total electricity use. Converting coal at the power plant into incandescent
light is only three per cent efficient. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) have
evolved rapidly in the past decade. They now last between six and 15 years and
reduce electricity use by a minimum of 75 per cent compared to a standard incandescent
bulb. The advantages of CFLs and other high efficiency lighting have prompted
legislation to ban incandescent bulbs. In 2007, Australia was the first country
to mandate that no incandescent bulbs will be sold by 2012, a move that will
reduce emissions by four million tonnes and cut power bills for lighting by
up to 66 per cent.
6. Switch to low carbon energy
If possible, switch to energy sources
that emit less carbon and can reduce costs and emissions. Generally, coal produces
twice the emissions of gas, six times the amount of solar, 40 times the amount
of wind and 200 times the amount from hydro. In many parts of the world customers
can choose to have a percentage of their electricity supplied from a renewable
energy source, such as a wind farm or landfill gas project. These ‘green
choice’ programmes are maturing and proving to be a powerful stimulus
for growth in renewable energy supply. Today, more than 50 per cent of all US
consumers, for example, have an option to purchase some type of green power
product.
Larger users can even build their own
lower emission energy systems, using solar power or lower carbon technologies
such as generators powered by natural gas. A Global Environment Facility project
in eastern and southern Africa is promoting small scale hydro schemes in the
tea industry and cogeneration using agricultural waste from the sugar industry
to generate electricity for industry use and to feed into national grids. In
the United Kingdom, the body background=”images/backgrd.gif” Shop
bought a 25 per cent stake in a large modern wind generator to provide renewable
energy for its UK operations. Other companies installing their own renewable
energy plant include 3M, DuPont, General Motors, IBM, Johnson & Johnson
and Staples.
At the small business or household level,
tax breaks and incentives can make solar photovoltaic systems and other renewable
energy technologies cost effective. Rooftop solar electric panels can provide
energy over time, reduce electricity costs and provide a buffer against price
fluctuations. UNEP is helping promote such schemes in southern India and North
Africa.
The transport sector is responsible for
25 per cent of total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, mainly
from burning petrol and diesel. Various options exist for kicking the carbon
habit. Hybrid engines that combine electricity and conventional petrol or diesel
engines can offer substantial fuel savings while reducing emissions. Vehicles
can also run on a range of alternative fuels that can offer both cost and environmental
benefits, although they also often require an additional investment that take
some time to pay back. These include compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and biofuels.
Biodiesel and bioethanol are biofuels
made from crops, such as wheat, soy, corn and sugar cane. They are often blended
with petrol or diesel, and almost all vehicles can run on blends up to 10 per
cent without modification. Specially enabled biofuel cars can run on higher
blends, such as a mix of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol. In many
parts of the world, biofuels are becoming more popular and easier to find commercially
and in various blends. For companies with automotive fleets, biofuels can be
a cost-effective low-carbon alternative.
7. Invest in offsets and cleaner alternatives
There is a limit to how much efficiency
you can squeeze from your lifestyle or your organisation’s operations,
or how much renewable energy you can employ. The choice for those who wish to
compensate for their remaining emissions is to fund an activity by another party
that reduces emissions. This is commonly called a ‘carbon offset’
or ‘carbon credit’. The term carbon neutral includes the idea of
neutralising emissions through supporting carbon savings elsewhere.
The average price for carbon offsets
is US$15 per tonne, but costs range from US$5-50 per tonne. To purchase offsets,
individuals or businesses pay an offset company to implement and manage projects
that avoid, reduce or absorb greenhouse gases. Climate change is a global problem,
so carbon reductions will have the same impact no matter where they are implemented.
Carbon credits can be generated by emission-free energy generation, reduced
demand, including energy efficiency, or sequestration in the form of underground
and forestry storage.
According to one report, the highest
quality offsets are generated from the flaring of methane from landfills, since
methane is an even more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. Green Gas International
(www.greengas.net) is a company that generates carbon credits by converting
waste gas to clean energy through partnerships with mines, landfills and biogas
producers. The worldwide benefits of such projects include 125 megawatts (MW)
of power, saving four million tonnes of CO2.
8. Get efficient
Looking at your life or business through
a carbon neutral lens can help you in other ways by increasing the efficiency
of resource use, avoiding and reducing waste and ultimately improving your overall
performance and reputation. Economists are fond of saying that there are no
banknotes lying around because someone will have already picked them up. In
climate change, there are still plenty of banknotes just waiting to be picked
up. After all, carbon is generally the waste product of producing energy, and
reducing waste and becoming more efficient is always a good idea. Integrate
the 3R approach—reduce, reuse and recycle—into your thinking.
9. Offer—or buy—low carbon
products and services
The market for climate friendly products
and services is growing rapidly, from energy efficient products to new renewable
energy systems. To offer such products, however, it’s important to begin
at the design stage. Actions as simple as adding energy efficient specifications
into the design process, for example, can produce a design that minimises energy
consumption during its use and saves customers the time and energy from making
adjustments to a product after a purchase, (for example having to wrap water
heaters with insulation blankets).
A more systematic approach comes from
the field of ‘design for sustainability’, which includes life cycle
design and environmentally conscious design and manufacturing. This new approach
considers environmental aspects at all stages of development to create products
with the lowest environmental impact throughout the product life cycle. Ecodesign
is an important strategy for small and medium sized companies both in developed
and developing countries to improve the environmental performance of their products,
reduce waste and improve their competitive position on the market.
10. Buy green, sell green
The market for green products and services
is growing rapidly. In many countries consumer surveys report that growing numbers
of consumers are willing to buy green products if given the choice. For businesses,
innovative product design and presentation combined with responsible marketing
and communications can help ensure that this consumer interest translates into
purchasing. However, the market for green products remains underdeveloped because
people still find it difficult to locate products or trust their environmental
claims. Businesses can help consumers to be more climate friendly, from the
online click for carbon offsetting on a tourism booking website to the label
on a product at the local store.
11. Team up
Many private sector companies are increasingly
working with non-governmental organisations, cities or governments to identify
and implement best practice solutions to reduce emissions. The Carbon Disclosure
Project (www.cdproject.net), for example is an independent non-profit organisation
providing information for institutional investors with a combined US$41 trillion
of assets under management. On their behalf, CDP seeks information on the business
risks and opportunities presented by climate change and greenhouse gas emissions
data from more than 2,000 of the world’s largest companies.
Similarly, local and national governments
are seeking opportunities to partner with business on delivering low carbon
solutions. In countries such as Canada, government institutions and power utilities
supported the setting up of Energy Service Companies (ESCos). In the United
States, the federal Environmental Protection Agency started the Energy Star
program (www.energystar.gov) in 1992 as a voluntary partnership to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. In 2006, American businesses
and consumers saved US$14 billion on energy bills with the help of Energy Star
saved and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equal to 25 million vehicles annually.
12. Talk
The increasing importance of climate
change means that companies and organisations will need to communicate. Transparency
is critical. The internet and other new media mean that companies, organisations
and governments cannot hide behind greenwash. This is where tools for verification
and reporting guidelines with recognised indicators are critical. One example
is the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) (www.globalreporting.org). Internal
communications via intranets and company publications can report progress and
acknowledge contributions by individual staff or teams. It’s also important
to let shareholders know. Reducing emissions, particularly by improving efficiency
is a win-win situation that can also enhance a company’s reputation. Consumers
and investors alike are requesting information on a company’s response
to risks and opportunities related to climate change.
