CARBON FOOTPRINT

WHAT IS A CARBON FOOTPRINT ?

The trace of the greenhouse gases
produced by human activities are known as
the carbon footprint. This environmental
indicator measures both direct and
indirect emissions of compounds like
methane (CH4), nitrogen oxide (N2O),
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),
perfluorocarbons (PFCs), sulphur
hexafluoride (SF6) and, above all, the
most abundant and most important
contributor to global warming since
1990: Carbon dioxide (CO2).
THE WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION (WMO) SAYS
THAT THE CONCENTRATION OF GREENHOUSE GASES IN THE
ATMOSPHERE REACHED A RECORD HIGH IN 2019 AND THAT
TODAY'S LEVELS OF ATMOSPHERIC CO2 ARE COMPARABLE
TO THOSE OF MORE THAN THREE MILLION YEARS AGO,
WHEN THE EARTH'S THERMOMETER MARKED A TEMPERATURE
ABOUT 3°C HIGHER AND SEA LEVELS WERE 10 TO 20
METRES HIGHER THAN THEY ARE TODAY. ACCORDING TO
THE GLOBAL FOOTPRINT NETWORK, SO FAR, THE CARBON
FOOTPRINT HAS NOT STOPPED GROWING. IN FACT IT HAS
INCREASED ELEVENFOLD SINCE 1961 AND NOW ACCOUNTS
FOR 60 % OF MAN'S TOTAL IMPACT ON THE
ENVIRONMENT.
PERSONAL CARBON FOOTPRINT
Your personal carbon footprint is what
you leave behind as a result of moving
about, consuming, eating and using
resources like energy. Environmental
NGO The Nature Conservancy estimates
that each inhabitant on the planet
produces an average of almost four tons
of CO2 every year, while in countries
like the United States this amount is
up to four times that per person and
per year.
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY SAYS THAT WE ALL
NEED TO REDUCE OUR CARBON FOOTPRINTS TO
LESS THAN TWO TONS PER YEAR BY
2050. THE EXPERTS SAY THAT THIS IS THE
BEST WAY TO ENSURE THAT
TEMPERATURES STOP RISING AND DON'T
REACH THE DREADED 2 °C THRESHOLD, WHICH
WOULD EXACERBATE CLIMATE CHANGE AND
TRANSFORM IT INTO AN IRREVERSIBLE
PROBLEM.
THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF COMPANIES

Like human beings, companies also

produce greenhouse gases during
manufacturing, transport and energy
consumption. The corporate footprint
measures all GG emissions from
companies and their scope, whether they
are direct and controllable or not.
IN THIS REGARD, COMPANIES USUALLY HAVE
THE OPTION TO REDUCE OR OFFSET THEIR
CARBON FOOTPRINTS. HOW? BY IMPROVING
THEIR ENERGY EFFICIENCY, CONSUMING
ENERGY OF 100 % RENEWABLE ORIGIN,
RUNNING CAMPAIGNS TO RAISE AWARENESS,
INVESTING IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS,
PAYING GREEN TAXES AND BUYING TONS OF
CO2 ON THE INTERNATIONAL EMISSIONS
MARKET, AMONG OTHER OPTIONS.
THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF A PRODUCT
Consumer goods and services also emit greenhouse
gases before, during and after their useful
life. Therefore, pollution starts with the
obtaining of raw materials, processing,
production and distribution, through to their
use and transformation into waste which is
either reused, recycled or goes to landfill.
The carbon footprint of events such as concerts,
shows or sports events, among others, is also
significant due to aspects like transport,
energy consumption, waste generated, etc.
CALCULATE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
There are numerous free, very simple tools
available on the Internet to calculate
your personal carbon footprint in just a
few minutes. The calculator offered by
the UN, opens in new window. considers
aspects of the home — type of housing,
size, energy efficiency, etc. —, our usual
mode of transport and our lifestyle, such
as consumption of meat and local products,
or management of food waste and
technological waste.
KNOWING YOUR PERSONAL OR ORGANISATIONAL
CARBON FOOTPRINT IS USEFUL FOR THE
FOLLOWING REASONS: IT ENABLES YOU TO
IDENTIFY AND REDUCE GG EMISSIONS, IT
ALLOWS CORPORATIONS TO PUBLISH THEIR
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE STATISTICS,
IT CAN BE USED AS INFORMATION TO RAISE
AWARENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS AND,
BASICALLY, IT IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT.
HOW TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT ?
The next few years will be decisive in our
fight against climate change and our success
will certainly depend on our ability to reduce
our carbon footprint. Here are some tips to
help you do that:
Choose responsible consumption, based on local
products and sustainable production, and start
growing produce in your own urban garden.

Get about using sustainable means of transport,

such as public transport, bicycle or on foot,
and buy vehicles that are environmentally
friendly.
 CHOOSE A 100 % RENEWABLE ENERGY
CONSUMPTION, BUY ENERGY-SAVING
APPLIANCES, AND CONTROL HEATING AND AIR
CONDITIONING TO SAVE ENERGY.
BE AWARE AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF REDUCING THE CARBON
FOOTPRINT.
REDUCE WASTE: REUSE YOUR
PACKAGING, RECYCLE IT AND IF THIS IS
NOT POSSIBLE, DISPOSE OF IT IN THE
APPROPRIATE CONTAINER.
THANK YOU