Toward a Low-Carbon Economy: The Clim’Foot Project Approach …
73
In 2014, the European Council confirmed that emission reductions should be
reached not only by the ETS but also by non-ETS sectors, setting the reduction
targets to 43% and 30%, respectively, by 2030 compared to 2005 [3].
To reach this commitment, the Effort Sharing Regulation
2 has established binding
annual GHG emission targets for Member States for the periods 2013–2020 and
2021–2030. These targets concern emissions from most non-ETS sectors, such as
transport, buildings, agriculture and waste, which can led to a reduction of the total
EU emissions by 10% [4]. Currently, 13 Member States have reached reduction of
GHG emissions, but only 4 have already fulfilled their 2020 goals. To reach their
targets, the States need to implement additional measures (already in place in some
countries), e.g. energy efficiency measures in the residential and services sectors, or
to use the flexibility mechanisms that Effort Sharing Regulation makes available [5].
However, no common framework has been proposed yet for GHG reduction targets
at country level for non-ETS organizations.
3 Consequently, the involvement of private
and public organizations to reduce their carbon footprint (CF) should be supported
by reliable data, tools and innovative approaches that allow also the calculation of
their GHG emissions. Besides, the environmental advantages due to the mitigation
actions identified are accompanied by innovation, optimization of the resources use,
strengthening of relationships within the supply chain and reduction of management
costs.
In this context, the LIFE project “Clim’Foot—Climate Governance: Implementing public policies to calculate and reduce organizations carbon footprint”
(LIFE14 GIC/FR/000475, hereinafter Clim’Foot
4 ) aimed to foster public policies
for calculation and reduction of the CF of non-ETS organizations. The project has
dealt with two key aspects:
(i) the need for national policies addressing GHG emissions of non-ETS organizations and the strategic role of standardized tools, such as national databases
(DBs) of Emission Factors (EFs)
5
(ii) the relevance of organizations training to foster their commitment targets to
account and mitigate GHG emissions.
Clim’Foot has brought together seven partners from five EU Countries: ADEME
(project coordinator) and IFC (France), ENEA and Ecoinnovazione (Italy), CRES
(Greece), HOI (Hungary) and EIHP (Croatia).
After an overview of the Standards for CFO calculation, development and application of the Clim’Foot approach for calculating and reducing CFO are here presented
and discussed, together with the results achieved from its implementation in public
and private organizations in Italy.
2 https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/effort/regulation_en.
3 http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/strategies/progress/kyoto_2/index_en.htm.
4 https://www.climfoot-project.eu/.
5 The Emission Factors are calculated ratios between the quantity of GHG emissions and the units
of activity associated with their release [6].
73
In 2014, the European Council confirmed that emission reductions should be
reached not only by the ETS but also by non-ETS sectors, setting the reduction
targets to 43% and 30%, respectively, by 2030 compared to 2005 [3].
To reach this commitment, the Effort Sharing Regulation
2 has established binding
annual GHG emission targets for Member States for the periods 2013–2020 and
2021–2030. These targets concern emissions from most non-ETS sectors, such as
transport, buildings, agriculture and waste, which can led to a reduction of the total
EU emissions by 10% [4]. Currently, 13 Member States have reached reduction of
GHG emissions, but only 4 have already fulfilled their 2020 goals. To reach their
targets, the States need to implement additional measures (already in place in some
countries), e.g. energy efficiency measures in the residential and services sectors, or
to use the flexibility mechanisms that Effort Sharing Regulation makes available [5].
However, no common framework has been proposed yet for GHG reduction targets
at country level for non-ETS organizations.
3 Consequently, the involvement of private
and public organizations to reduce their carbon footprint (CF) should be supported
by reliable data, tools and innovative approaches that allow also the calculation of
their GHG emissions. Besides, the environmental advantages due to the mitigation
actions identified are accompanied by innovation, optimization of the resources use,
strengthening of relationships within the supply chain and reduction of management
costs.
In this context, the LIFE project “Clim’Foot—Climate Governance: Implementing public policies to calculate and reduce organizations carbon footprint”
(LIFE14 GIC/FR/000475, hereinafter Clim’Foot
4 ) aimed to foster public policies
for calculation and reduction of the CF of non-ETS organizations. The project has
dealt with two key aspects:
(i) the need for national policies addressing GHG emissions of non-ETS organizations and the strategic role of standardized tools, such as national databases
(DBs) of Emission Factors (EFs)
5
(ii) the relevance of organizations training to foster their commitment targets to
account and mitigate GHG emissions.
Clim’Foot has brought together seven partners from five EU Countries: ADEME
(project coordinator) and IFC (France), ENEA and Ecoinnovazione (Italy), CRES
(Greece), HOI (Hungary) and EIHP (Croatia).
After an overview of the Standards for CFO calculation, development and application of the Clim’Foot approach for calculating and reducing CFO are here presented
and discussed, together with the results achieved from its implementation in public
and private organizations in Italy.
2 https://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/effort/regulation_en.
3 http://ec.europa.eu/clima/policies/strategies/progress/kyoto_2/index_en.htm.
4 https://www.climfoot-project.eu/.
5 The Emission Factors are calculated ratios between the quantity of GHG emissions and the units
of activity associated with their release [6].