Blogs & Ecology

Hardcore greenhouse gas (GHG) geeks will recall that cement is a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions, with approximately 1 ton of CO2 equivalent emitted into the atmosphere for every 1 ton of cement produced. Damn. Forget your carbon guilt from flying, people! Cement is responsible for 5% of the Earth’s CO2 emissions, and it’s the third largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in the US according to the EPA.

Climate change is one of the most profound challenges of modern times. So why is it that there is such a serious shortage of greenhouse gas experts, climate-change strategists, and professionals in the field? After all, climate change will certainly affect all of our lifestyles and the way we do business. And while it’s undoubtedly important to develop rigid, international standards for greenhouse gas monitoring and management, it’s equally as important to have skilled workers in place to ensure these standards are put into practice correctly.

Protocols for corporate greenhouse gas accounting that are based on the ISO 14064 standards, such as the WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol, use the term "scope" to distinguish between different greenhouse gas emissions sources. There are three categories; Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3. For most registry’s or reporting agencies Scopes 1 and 2 are considered mandatory while Scope 3 is considered optional.

For years environmental management for businesses has been focused on the task of ensuring compliance with environmental regulations. Traditional business and financial analysis was not a critical component of their decision-making as much as simply ensuring that the organization was maintaining compliance status. Paper-based systems, Excel spreadsheets, and Access databases often satisfied the needs of most environmental professionals.

Carbon may become the world's largest commodity market, according to recent investigations. The Financial Times reported late last week reported that the carbon market could "outstrip the conventional commodities markets" and other estimates of more than $3 trillion in 2020 have been cast, by Point Carbon for example, dependent on US participation. Bart Chilton, commissioner of the Commodities Futures Trading Commission has estimated that

“even with conservative assumptions, this could be a $2 trillion futures market in relatively short order.”

Coal is getting more expensive: especially the high grade US stuff that Europe wants to burn. The less expensive coals are more highly polluting and have lower heat value, making it harder to meet discharge/emission limits, and harder still to dispose of solid waste. One solution is to substitute wood for coal, typically in the 10% to 20% range.

Substituting "biofuel" for coal also lowers the per kW C02 emissions, which, if combined with energy conservation, and with wind or solar power capacity additions, helps a utility meets its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction commitments. Then there is the whole green jobs component.

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) yesterday announced the implementation of a GHG program in Brazil. The 'Brazil GHG Protocol Program' enables companies to monitor and better manage GHG emissions on a voluntary basis. It is a commendable commitment to improving environmental standards in the cooperate world; however this progressive focus towards environmental accountability should be viewed in tandem with the economic motivations of corporations.