Climate Essentials: Advantages of GHG monitoring

Why should I measure my GHG emissions?
With the advent of the century, climate issues have taken permanent residence at the forefront of public and government concern. Measuring carbon emissions is paramount in demonstrating and enacting awareness and recognition. Through Climate Essentials, the process of organising, standardising and presenting carbon data is simplified, allowing for easy tracking and control. Measuring emissions can also provide organisations with the means to pinpoint unnecessary resource sinks, acting as a valuable assistant in improving business procedures.

What do I have to measure?
What is measured depends on the structure of the organisation. Whether complex, more streamlined, completely physical or entirely virtual, Climate Essentials provides an inclusive array of clearly defined metrics relevant to the industry businesses operate in.

To make appropriate use of Climate Essentials, the emissions outlined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol need to be measured. Consistent with the protocols scopes, emission sources are organised into:

• Gas
• Energy
• Products & Services
• Waste

And then defined into Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3. Emissions can be tracked per their monetary values (in British pounds) or their respective units, namely kWh and m3, which are automatically converted into the equivalent mass of CO2e produced dependent on factors such as electricity/gas providers, site size and the employee quantity.

Is it worth the trouble?
Measuring emissions will reveal many avenues for the elevation and maintenance of business operations, sustainability goals and public image. Climate change is a pressing global issue, meaning more attention must be paid to the carbon footprints of companies and organisations, as well as other metrics such as the waste and the water they use. By accurately recording emissions, Climate Essentials allows businesses to establish and track their climate pledge.

How will my business benefit from measuring emissions?

• By highlighting key areas of resource expenditure within the supply chain alternatives and opportunities to improve efficiency while reducing climate impact. This has become a priority that’s consistent with the demands of customers and investors alike.
• By making use of data from a wealth of organisations on the platform, Climate Essentials can measure members within the industry against each other, thereby providing insights into how climate-considerate a company is beyond regionally or internationally set standards.
• Measuring emissions allows for participation in responsibility and carbon reporting programmes which facilitate conformability towards new higher industry standards and enhance reputation.

Will external parties appreciate this improvement?
It’s undeniable that in the last decade public opinion has shifted to being vastly in favour of climate action and with these numerous schemes, strategies and products have been produced to accommodate and transition. Whether these changes will be appreciated or noticed is not in question but is unavoidable. In France alone, three-quarters of shoppers would feel more positive about a company that has reduced the carbon footprint of its products. As climate issues only become more pressing climate conscious collectives will be seen as a favourable choice for business across a variety of industries and demographics.
 

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Martina Colman, Climate Engineer