Reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Reducing emissions is the single most important part of an organization's greenhouse gas management program. Without reductions, the problem of climate change cannot be solved.
By reducing its own greenhouse gas emissions, a business can not only reduce its own climate impact, but also potentially realize some other important benefits, such as cost savings.
There are 5 main steps involved in reducing emissions:
- Set a reduction target.
- Identify opportunities for reducing GHG emissions.
- Assess, select and implement the emission reduction measures.
- Track reductions and cost savings on a regular basis.
- Continue to make reductions and look for new reduction opportunities.
There are many emission reduction opportunities for your business, including:
- energy use
- transportation
- renewable energy sources
- operational efficiency
- material inputs
- upstream greenhouse gas reductions from suppliers and contractors
- downstream reductions
Example - Changing the world one step at the time
Under the umbrella of its institutional campaign "Changing the world one step at a time", realized in collaboration with Équiterre, Desjardins is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by limiting its fuel consumption, encouraging alternative transportation, opting for energy-efficient equipment, and improving the ecological performance of its buildings. These are 4 fields of action that highlight Desjardins's fixed environmental priority, namely the fight against climate change.
Find out more
For more information about the reduction process or for examples of reduction opportunities, read the Doing Business in a New Climate guide (PDF, 5.72 MB).
Source : David Suzuki Foundation website.