Boundaries | Gary Davis

1Carbon Footprinting – Setting the Boundaries

Carbon Footprinting – Setting the Boundaries

Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management

Gary Davis


Presentation outline

1. About the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management (ECCM)

2. Why do we set boundaries?

3. How do we set boundaries?

4. Should we care about boundaries?


About ECCM

Originally a spin-off company from University of Edinburgh

Part of a group of companies (Camco Group), specialising in different areas of climate change mitigation, e.g. sustainable buildings, renewables, energy efficiency, offset projects, and carbon trading.

ECCM specialises in GHG emissions assessments or “carbon footprinting” (as well as other areas, e.g. land-use based emissions reductions, academic research)

Track record in carbon footprinting: Over 800 UK and International emissions assessments Clients include: Scottish and Newcastle, Scottish Executive, BP, BOC


Why do we need set boundaries?

Four main reasons for calculating a carbon footprint:

1. To manage the footprint and reduce emissions over time

2. To accurately report emissions to a third-party (e.g. the public.)

3. To compare your results with your peers

4. To offset emissions (to go “carbon neutral”)



Common problems with Carbon Footprint results:

Lack of transparency – what emissions sources are included in the scope?

Doubling counting – two organisations reporting the same emissions

Same organisations reporting a different scope from one year to the next

Grey areas – long term leased vehicles, leased office space



Therefore setting boundaries is important because it allows us to achieve the following on a like for like basis:

1. Define what an organisation will report/manage/reduce/offset

2. Measure emissions and associated reductions from year to year

3. Compare emissions between organisations

Measuring and reporting consistently and transparently helps avoids accusations of “Greenwash”


How do you set boundaries?

3 main types of boundary

1. Organisational boundary (based on WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol):• Control

• Equity share

2. Operational boundary (based on WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol):• Scope One emissions

• Scope Two emissions

• Scope Three emissions

3. GHG Emissions included:• CO2 only or all Kyoto gases (CH4, N2O, HFCs, PFCs, SF6)



Operational boundary



Emission producing activity within boundary

Assessment Boundary

Legend

Emission producing activity outside boundary

Assessment Boundary

Gas consumption

Electricity consumption

Business travelCompany owned

vehicles

Waste disposalBack-up

generator fuel consumption

Commuting

Refrigerant gas loss

Deliveries by third parties



Standards and protocols• World Business Council for Sustainable Development/World Resources Institute (2004) - the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Consistent with CDP, GRI, CCAR, ISO14064 (1).

Sources for emissions factors• Defra 2007. Guidelines to Defra’s greenhouse gas conversion factors for company reporting.• WBCSD website. www.ghgprotocol.org

• IPCC 2006. Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories. http://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/index.htm



Raw materials extraction + processing

Disposal Use Distribution Manufacture

Raw materials extraction + processing

Disposal Use Distribution Manufacture

Cradle to Gate

Cradle to Grave

Assessment boundaries for product carbon footprint assessment



Standards and guidance for product assessments:

Draft BSI Standard – Publicly Available Specification (2050)

www.carbon-label.co.uk


Should we care about boundaries?

Does having a consistent set of boundaries for every organisation really matter?

NO: Emissions reductions are what we are trying to achieve, whether they are calculated correctly or not. The climate does not care if our sums are correct, it is only affected by receiving less CO2e. Waiting to start a reduction strategy until we have a globally agreed way forward is a waste of precious time that could be better spent making reductions now.

YES: If we charge on claiming reductions and communicating our emissions without a consistent methodology mistakes will be made and stakeholders will lose confidence in GHG reporting, management and reduction seeing it only as “Greenwash”.


Final Thoughts

GET ON WITH IT!

The most valuable reductions are those made now – a tonne of avoided CO2 stays avoided so is not causing further warming each year.

Setting boundaries is important for the sake of consistency and transparency but should not be a barrier to starting a reduction strategy.


Contact details:

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0131 666 5060

Web: www.eccm.uk.com

Boundaries | Gary Davis

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