Why is carbon footprint important?
Today, the term "carbon footprint" is frequently used as abbreviation for the amount of carbon (usually in tonnes) emitted by a particular activity or organization. Because it is a competing demand for biologically productive space, the carbon footprint is an important component of the Ecological Footprint.
Carbon emissions
Carbon emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels accumulate in the atmosphere if biocapacity to absorb these emissions is insufficient. As a result, when reporting the carbon footprint as part of the overall Ecological Footprint, tonnes of CO2 emissions are expressed as the amount of productive land area required to sequester those CO2 emissions.This tells us how much biocapacity is required to offset the emissions caused by the use of fossil fuels.
Measurement of carbon build-up
Measuring the carbon footprint in terms of land area does not imply that carbon sequestration is the only solution to the carbon problem. It simply shows how much biocapacity is required to handle our untreated carbon waste and prevent carbon buildup in the atmosphere. This method of measurement allows us to address the climate change challenge holistically, rather than simply shifting the burden from one natural system to another.
This framework also places climate change in a larger context, one that connects all of the environmental threats we face today. Rather than solving one problem at the expense of another, by focusing on a single issue, we can address all of its symptoms. It also makes the self-interestedness to act far more obvious.
How much does it account for?
The carbon Footprint accounts for 60% of humanity's total Ecological Footprint and is the fastest growing component. Since 1961, humanity's carbon footprint has increased 11-fold. The most important step we can take to end overshoot and live within our planet's means is to reduce humanity's carbon footprint.
These audacious moves imply that the use of fossil fuels will be phased out well before 2050. That is within the next 31 years—in many of our lifetimes. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States Department of Commerce (or NOAA), we will have reached 504 ppm CO2 equivalent by 2020. This reaffirms the need to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuels while also increasing sequestration.
In contrast, each nation's pledges are expected to result in a temperature rise of 3 to 7 degrees Celsius, exceeding the 2-degree limit or "global handrail" acknowledged by the agreement. The final agreement requires countries to submit new emission reduction targets every five years. It remains to be seen whether this critical requirement will be sufficient to spark additional action.
Conclusion
Because of growing concern about global climate change and the role of carbon emissions as a contributing factor, many businesses and organizations are pursuing "carbon footprint" projects to estimate their own contributions to global climate change.
Carbon registries' protocol definitions aid organizations in analyzing their carbon footprints. These protocols vary in scope, but generally suggest estimating only direct emissions from purchased energy, with less emphasis on supply chain emissions. Approaches based on comprehensive environmental life-cycle assessment methods, on the other hand, are available to track total emissions across the entire supply chain, and experience suggests that following narrowly defined estimation protocols will generally result in large underestimates of carbon emissions for providing products and services.
Netsol Water is Greater Noida-based leading water & wastewater treatment plant manufacturer. We are industry's most demanding company based on client review and work quality. We are known as best commercial RO plant manufacturers, industrial RO plant manufacturer, sewage treatment plant manufacturer, Water Softener Plant Manufacturers and effluent treatment plant manufacturers. Apart from this 24x7 customer support is our USP. Call on +91-9650608473, or write us at enquiry@netsolwater.com for any support, inquiry or product-purchase related query.
