The world consequences of climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions are critical business issues for today. Most companies acknowledge that climate change will have some impact on their operations. The extent and scope of this is often not fully understood or quantified by most businesses.
Due to a combination of high energy prices, reputational pressures, and the influence of government policy and regulation, carbon management is emerging as a strategic issue. The way in which businesses balance their exposure to carbon risk will be a major contributor to financial performance.
The total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organisation, event or product is commonly called their carbon footprint. Establishing the carbon footprint of an organisation can be the first step in a programme to reduce the emissions it causes.
The 6 recognised greenhouse gases are:
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
- Methane (CH4)
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
- Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)
- Perfluorocarbons (PFCs)
- Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6)
These all have different global warming effects, they tend to be expressed as kilogrammes or tones Carbon Dioxide (CO2) equivalent using standard conversion factors. CO2 is the most widespread greenhouse gas it is released when fossil fuels are burnt.
For further information on our Carbon Management services please contact us.