THE GREAT CHALLENGE

How many of you have heard of “carbon footprint”, but you have no idea what it is?

Don't worry, with this article we will try to clarify your ideas a little!

What is it?

It is something that tracks something else.

During its life cycle, each product releases different amounts of greenhouse gases (CO2) into the atmosphere: from the extraction phase of raw materials to that of transformation; from production to packaging to transport; from the phase of use to its final disposal.

Thus, the carbon footprint is nothing more than the parameter used to measure greenhouse gas emissions caused by a product, service, organization or individual and calculated over the entire life cycle of the analysis system.

Generally, the parameter is expressed in tons of CO2 equivalent. Attention, we said "equivalent". We refer in fact to the measure that expresses the impact on global warming of a certain amount of greenhouse gases compared to the same amount of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Now, It is scientifically proven that human activities are the main causes of global warming. The scale of recent changes in the climate system has been unprecedented for many centuries and many thousands of years.

In order to try to remedy the catastrophic scenario that lies ahead, the Kyoto Protocol, an international environmental treaty, was published in December 1997. Or at least, it will help us do our best to reduce the effects on the climate.

Effective from 2005, after a series of ratifications, to date there are about 175 participating countries, plus a regional economic integration organization (EEC). Just to name a few: Italy ratified it on June 1, 2002; the United States signed it in 1998, but did not ratify it. Canada was the first country to come out of it. India and Brazil, despite having a very intense growth, are exempt from obligations because they are considered developing countries and consequently the Protocol does not want to hinder their economic growth with heavy burdens on them.

The countries involved are committed to implementing industrial and environmental policies aimed at slowing the warming of our planet. Those who do not respect the agreements are punished with sanctions.

However, a system of flexible mechanisms for the acquisition of emission credits help not to fall into too high fines. This system aims to maximize the reductions for the same investment.

Why we are talking about the Tokyo Protocol? Because it is precisely  the greenhouse gas emissions to consider in the

Why are we talking about the Kyoto Protocol?

Because it is precisely the treaty that defines the greenhouse gases to be taken into account in the footprint count, namely:

- Carbon dioxide CO2

- Methane CH4

- Nitrogen protossium N2O

- Hydrofluorocarbons HFCs

- Sulfur hexafluoride SF6

- Perfluorocarbons PFCs

The calculation of the carbon footprint takes into account the emissions of all greenhouse gases, converted into CO2 equivalent, through parameters established worldwide by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

Therefore, to indicate the environmental impact of human activity, all the mentioned emissions, direct and indirect, related to that specific activity will have to be measured.

Let's go more specifically. To assess how each individual company affects climate change, the company's ecological footprint will be calculated, through the analysis of the life cycle (which estimates the direct emissions of the company's production), the emissions related to the production of the energy used and those of the supply chain as a whole.

The same principle can be used to calculate the product carbon footprint (CFP), i.e. the amount of all greenhouse gases emissions during all phases of the entire life cycle of the product (the assessment is possible even in a single phase of life).

Why is it important to know it?

Because, if on the one hand the carbon footprint allows to know and quantify the emission impacts on climate change, on the other hand helps to monitor the environmental and energy efficiency of individual structures.

And this is of fundamental importance for companies, bodies, organizations, etc. that want to enter, and play, in the game towards sustainability. Being 50% of all the ecological footprint rapresented by the carbon footprint, it is important to know the latter since it gives us an idea of the demand for fossil fuel made to our planet. It is obvious that reducing the carbon footprint becomes essential to limit, and eliminate, the overexploitation of resources.

From economic and business point of view, the carbon footprint becomes a primary tool to model the strategies implemented to enhance its activities and promote social and environmental responsibility policies, based on ESG criteria.

The acronym ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance, three fundamental dimensions to support the company's commitment to sustainability, through the right investment choices.

Among the great innovative events of sustainable strategies, we cannot fail to mention the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is an action programme for people, the planet and prosperity, consisting basically of 17 sustainable development goals.

It is a challenge that involves the entire globe on important issues that aim to end poverty, fight against inequality and tackle climate change. All in full respect of human rights.

Activities undertaken to offset and reduce emissions with equivalent measures, through efficient actions (such as tree planting, renewable energy production, etc.), can be complemented by carbon neutrality measures.

At this point a new question arises spontaneously.

What is carbon neutrality?

In simple terms, it is the result of balancing the greenhouse gas emissions generated and the reabsorbed emissions. In practice, it means resetting, or neutralizing, CO2 emissions.

The ultimate goal is to reach the point where the emissions of effect gases do NOT exceed the Earth's ability to absorb them.

Despite all the efforts made, it is not possible to avoid some emissions that derive from human activities. However, right now, the number of nations that are working to pursue this goal and thus combat climate change are constantly increasing. In fact, many companies invest in internal projects to reduce carbon emissions from the production chain. Or they use the offsetting of certified carbon credits, recognized by climate agreements, to be able to compensate for the difference.

(Photo: Business Wire)

Why should a company consider its commitment to the transition to a Carbon Neutral economy?

Achieving a balance between net human-generated and absorbed greenhouse gas emissions is of paramount importance so that average temperatures on the planet remain below 1.5°C and global warming does not occur.

The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, in Article 4 plans to achieve the goal by the middle of the century: "to undertake rapid reductions thereafter, in line with the best available scientific knowledge, so as to achieve a balance between the sources of emissions and anthropogenic removals of greenhouse gases in the second half of the current century,  on an equitable basis and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty".

Article 4 of the Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, envisages achieving the goal by mid-century: "In order to achieve the long-term temperature goal set out in Article 2, Parties aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, recognizing that peaking will take longer for developing country Parties, and to undertake rapid reductions thereafter in accordance with best available science, so as to achieve a balance between anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases in the second half of this century, on the basis of equity, and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.".

As for the Old Continent, Europe aims to be the first to achieve zero climate impact. To do this, it has implemented the European Green Deal, i.e. the adoption of a series of proposals to transform its climate, energy, transport and taxation policies that will allow it to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

(We will delve into this interesting topic in our next article).

Thanks to the revelations carried out between 2017 and 2018 by the Chinese experimental satellite TanSat, we have the first map that describes the global flow of CO2 emissions.

The study was published in the journal “Advance in Atmospheric Sciences”, but work will continue with TanSat-2, now in the design phase. The aim is to draw up a balance sheet of carbon dioxide emissions down to the detail of individual urban centers to verify the monitoring done individually by each individual State. The control can then be coordinated by both the UN Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreements.

Video animation curated by NASA, which shows the increase in temperatures recorded on the Earth's surface between 1880 and 2017. Curated by NASA

The Earth, for its part, tries to give us a hand. We are talking about the carbon sinks that exist in nature. We refer to any natural storage area, such as peat bogs or forests, that absorbs more carbon than it releases, thus reducing the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Plants, absorbing carbon dioxide in the process of photosynthesis, fix carbon in their biomass and soil, transforming the earth's surface into real carbon stocks.

Unfortunately, due to deforestation, tropical forests have lost their ability to store carbon dioxide in recent years. However, a Swedish study, conducted by Lund University, shows that the most important carbon sinks are currently boreal forests (in sub-Arctic regions). Divergence of behavior between the two forests began as early as 2008. While a study, conducted by researchers from the University of Edinburgh and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, showed that between 2010 and 2016, Chinese CO2 wells stored about 45% of the People's Republic's emissions.

Unfortunately, due to deforestation, tropical forests have lost their ability to store carbon dioxide in recent years. However, a Swedish study, conducted by Lund University and published in Nature Ecology & Evoluti, shows that the most important carbon sinks are currently boreal forests (in sub-Arctic regions). The divergence in behavior between the two forests began as early as 2008.

A study, conducted by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, showed that between 2010 and 2016, Chinese CO2 wells stored about 45% of the People's Republic's emissions.

However, never rest on your laurels when it comes to environment. The absorption capacity of forests is now almost saturated and, according to the researchers, by 2030 the capacity of African forests to remove carbon will decrease by 14% compared to the average for the period 2010-2015. While Amazon forests could stop removing carbon dioxide altogether by 2035.

That would be disconcerting.

We conclude by bringing to your attention the Sixth IPCC Climate Change Report with which the UN lights a big red alert signal on the global situation now out of control, caused above all by poorly governed excessive development.

Given the current environmental climate landscape, we hope that a large part of the total investments made by the various Countries will be dedicated to research to combat the climate crisis and accelerate the energy transition. We hope that all governments will implement concrete and conscious choices through funding in line with the company's objectives and missions.

Everyone must play their role and focus their activities on reducing emissions to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon economy in all sectors.

Carbon neutrality is the great challenge that the carbon free world is about to win! The action of governments and institutions alone cannot suffice. The fight against climate change must become the primary common goal pursued by nations, companies, private sector... and individual citizens!

We leave you with a question: do you think it is possible to divide economic development from environmental impacts? And, if it is possible, how will "sustainable development" come about?

Stay tuned. In the next articles we will tell you more about our industry and what Busforfun is planning for sustainable mobility.

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