CO2 little, too late?
5 Shocking truths.
By Sam Jenks
Carbon Dioxide, (CO2) “… enters the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and wood products, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement)” (EPA 2016).
CO2, and its presence in our atmosphere, is a known entity by a majority of the complex, diverse and semi-intelligent beings- that are- the human race. What CO2 does to our environment, I believe less individuals know. How much is in our atmosphere, I believe, even fewer individuals know.
Maybe you’re beliefs of CO2 emissions align with the green movement or maybe they align with Donald J. Trump.
Truth is, green house gas emissions, in particular CO2, is currently a pressing topic.
Its existence on Earth is necessary and natural. Yet, its continuous creation due to transportation, industrialization, agriculture, waste management and fuel combustion is the farthest thing from natural.
Every individual is responsible for his or her own carbon footprint. We take responsibility when we buy cars, pop popcorn, use hairspray, take flights, make calls, buy groceries and even when we change our crying babies’ poopy diapers.
My sincerest of apologies for the vivid imagery, but it’s the truth.
We make choices on an individual level, on a daily basis, to act or counteract the emissions of greenhouse gas, including CO2 into our collective atmosphere. I know what you’re thinking; we can only do so much. As much as a collective effort starts on an individual level, the idea must take shape on the institutional level, meaning industry.
1. The bigger the better.
Communities, countries and continents alike look towards business, especially big business, to champion the cause towards positive corporate climate initiatives. One of the main movers and shakers behind those initiatives is the emission of carbon amongst other greenhouse gases.
The numbers have been tallied and the verdict is in; business knows their role is one of great importance when it comes to lowering CO2 emissions. More importantly, governmental actions are being put into place to regulate the emissions of greenhouse gases in the coming years.
“At the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change concluded in Paris in December, 2015, 195 countries adopted the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate deal agreement. The long-term goal is to reduce global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by at least 60% below 2010 levels by 2050” (chicagobooth.edu 2016).
Interestingly enough the 195 countries in this agreement were responsible for 40 billion tons of CO2 emissions in 2015. For those of you who like numbers, that’s about 80% of the current global emissions.
2. It’s not too late, right?
Typical human defense mechanism: we’re not at fault until we really are. Well, ladies and gentlemen of this fine planet, we have deemed Earth, it isn’t too late, but damage has definitely been done. As it looks, today, the goals set after the Convention on Climate Change in 2015 are completely unattainable as well.
The limit of the global temperature rise was set at 2 degrees Celcius for pre-industrial levels of emissions. “If cumulative emissions in the 2000–2050 period do not exceed the target of 1,000 to 1,500 billion tonnes CO2,” then the goal is attainable (Olivier et. all 2012).
We’re talking purely human made activity leading to emissions here.
Between years 2000–2011 alone, an estimated total of 420 billion tonnes was already cumulatively emitted. One more time for my math peeps, that’s 28% of the highest emission limit that has been set for a 50-year span in just 11 years (Olivier et. all 2012).
3. What can business do?
For starters, businesses can try to stop emitting so much greenhouse gases. Year 2014, in the United States, industry and agriculture alone contributed to 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions.
To go along with that, another 56% of emissions was attributed to electricity and transportation. One doesn’t need to be an expert to know that businesses use electricity and transportation for the production, sales and delivery of goods and services (EPA 2016).
It has been stated by several large corporations that they can’t always control their level of greenhouse gas emissions considering the extensive unknowns involved in their complex, and voluminous supply chains.
4. CO2 much money?
If companies know that their supply chains can be accountable, at times, for 20% of their emissions, then why don’t they change supply chain processes (Carbon Disclosure project 2011)?
Simply, the common thought, greener supply chains come at a cost. Some companies see the costs to be spent in regulations, compliance or third party SCM, SRM or CSR solutions to outweigh the benefits. However, some research has suggested the exact opposite.
That “… a good environmental record can improve financial performance and overall competitiveness (Porter and van der Linde, 1995; Reinhardt, 1999), enhance brand value, and increase market share” (Hopkins, 2010; Kim and Lyon, 2011). I’ll let you as intelligent and resourceful readers form your own opinions.
5. Tisk, tisk USA and China…
I’m not going to write a whole bunch of words in this section. I fear it will take away from the abhorring statistics about the USA and China’s CO2 emissions.
The USA and China were responsible for nearly 50% of the world’s CO2 emissions in 2011.
This graph below shows that the USA has indeed made strives in the last years, but not so significant. Compare the initiative towards reducing emissions in Europe
USA TRENDS
EU TRENDS
Every single country in Europe made leaps and bounds from 1990–2014. Though the metrics of emissions aren’t the same, one can see the obvious decrease in the one chart and the relatively stagnant nature of the other.
All I can say; Do better China and USA.
Until next week.
