4.2.2 Individual Carbon Footprint
The individual carbon footprint can be used under a customized version where each
of the individual input specific information relates with his consumption options.
However, at the global level, the calculation of country per capita greenhouse
emissions is often used to access and compare energy use and lifestyles. Under this
analysis, one cannot decouple the differences within the population of each country
or identifying specificities of the role of different sectors within the footprint, from
product consumption levels to mobility, food or housing. Also, the final per capita
number is highly dependent on the energy sources used by each country, with
higher values related with extensive use of fossil fuels.
As a curiosity, members involved in so-called grassroots initiatives, directly
related with consumption and lifestyles, do show a carbon footprint 16% lower than
non-members within the same sociodemographic context, particularly due to significant reduced percentages in food and clothing (43% and 86%, respectively)
[36]. At the same time, those greener members are also reflected in a more positive
life satisfaction (11–13%) compared with non-members [36]. Communicating the
concept of the individual carbon footprint to others in order to make them aware of
low-carbon behaviours requires credibility and transparency of the messenger or
communicator [37]. In many developed countries, the footprint is already high, and
then it is very difficult to achieve significant reductions. A combination of societal
and individual efforts is often required to attain the desired pathway towards a lower
carbon impact [37].
4.2.3 Urban Scale
The quantification of a city’s carbon footprint is quite important with a roadmap for
a low-carbon future, since their supply chains are responsible for considerable
carbon mitigation measures. Around 70% of the worldwide population will live in
urban areas by 2050, taking 80% of the energy consumption and over 60% of the
greenhouse gas emissions [37]. Also, the reporting of different strategies developed
by different cities can be considered an added value for benchmarking of climate
policies. The Urban Carbon Footprint (UCF), with the proper accountability,
inventory, and dissemination methods, is a key tool, either for decision-makers and
stakeholders at the municipal level [34]. The carbon footprint at the city level can be
developed based on the two approaches already described, either based on the
concept of a traditional emission inventory of the direct emissions within the city or
involving also the indirect emissions associated within a certain boundaries or in a
more complex form where the urban system is conceptualized in a
production-consumption basis [38].
Worldwide, there are several cities that have been announcing GHG reduction
commitments, from a few years ago to 2020, and currently to 2030, 2050 and even
up to the year 2070. These municipalities have been working under institutional
platforms such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group that, by May 2020,
combined 96 large cities in more than 100 countries, responsible for 25% of the
world GDP, the ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, a global network of
more than 1750 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban
Carbon Economy and Carbon Footprint
21
The individual carbon footprint can be used under a customized version where each
of the individual input specific information relates with his consumption options.
However, at the global level, the calculation of country per capita greenhouse
emissions is often used to access and compare energy use and lifestyles. Under this
analysis, one cannot decouple the differences within the population of each country
or identifying specificities of the role of different sectors within the footprint, from
product consumption levels to mobility, food or housing. Also, the final per capita
number is highly dependent on the energy sources used by each country, with
higher values related with extensive use of fossil fuels.
As a curiosity, members involved in so-called grassroots initiatives, directly
related with consumption and lifestyles, do show a carbon footprint 16% lower than
non-members within the same sociodemographic context, particularly due to significant reduced percentages in food and clothing (43% and 86%, respectively)
[36]. At the same time, those greener members are also reflected in a more positive
life satisfaction (11–13%) compared with non-members [36]. Communicating the
concept of the individual carbon footprint to others in order to make them aware of
low-carbon behaviours requires credibility and transparency of the messenger or
communicator [37]. In many developed countries, the footprint is already high, and
then it is very difficult to achieve significant reductions. A combination of societal
and individual efforts is often required to attain the desired pathway towards a lower
carbon impact [37].
4.2.3 Urban Scale
The quantification of a city’s carbon footprint is quite important with a roadmap for
a low-carbon future, since their supply chains are responsible for considerable
carbon mitigation measures. Around 70% of the worldwide population will live in
urban areas by 2050, taking 80% of the energy consumption and over 60% of the
greenhouse gas emissions [37]. Also, the reporting of different strategies developed
by different cities can be considered an added value for benchmarking of climate
policies. The Urban Carbon Footprint (UCF), with the proper accountability,
inventory, and dissemination methods, is a key tool, either for decision-makers and
stakeholders at the municipal level [34]. The carbon footprint at the city level can be
developed based on the two approaches already described, either based on the
concept of a traditional emission inventory of the direct emissions within the city or
involving also the indirect emissions associated within a certain boundaries or in a
more complex form where the urban system is conceptualized in a
production-consumption basis [38].
Worldwide, there are several cities that have been announcing GHG reduction
commitments, from a few years ago to 2020, and currently to 2030, 2050 and even
up to the year 2070. These municipalities have been working under institutional
platforms such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group that, by May 2020,
combined 96 large cities in more than 100 countries, responsible for 25% of the
world GDP, the ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, a global network of
more than 1750 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban
Carbon Economy and Carbon Footprint
21