KNOW YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT


CARBON FOOTPRINT; What Is It?

Carbon dioxide (CO2), the most prolific greenhouse gas is emitted from a variety of sources, the most high-impact of which is the burning of fossil fuels. The amount of energy we consume is based upon the lifestyle we lead and is a direct measure of our individual contribution to CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. This is known as our Carbon Footprint. It is most commonly measured in tonnes of CO2 per year. 
If all the CO2 we emit is reabsorbed by the Earth’s natural systems, such as forests then it is possible to have a carbon neutral lifestyle. 

Global Warming is a direct result of the massive fossil fuel burning which began 250 years ago at the start of the industrial revolution. Today our lifestyles are so dependent on fossil fuels that we can’t even switch on a light bulb without adding to the problem.

If we are all part of the problem then potentially we can also, all be part of the solution. Two factors are required, awareness and action. Begin by becoming aware of your Carbon Footprint and then decide where you can make changes in your lifestyle to reduce your emissions. 


CALCULATE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

The average CO2 emissions for a resident of the U.K is 10 tonnes/year. The average person living in the US emits 50 tonnes/year! We might feel virtuous comparing our average Carbon Footprint with the Americans but our emissions still exceed the sustainable level tenfold!
The maximum emissions each person on the planet can emit if we are to become carbon neutral (all emissions reabsorbed) and thereby stabilise climate is in the region of 1 tonne per person per year. This is based upon stabilisation to within a global temperature rise of 2C. See Climate Change Facts. 
This model which proposes equitable distribution of emissions amongst all the Earth’s peoples was proposed by the Global Commons Institute in 1990 and has since gained wide acceptance. See Contraction and Convergence.  

To calculate your carbon footprint use the table for carbon budgeting provided. (Source; How We Can Save the Planet, Mayer Hillman) 
You will need information about your annual car mileage and household gas/oil and electricity bills.



 






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CALCULATE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Household and individual carbon budgeting (From; Mayer Hillman; How we can Save the Planet)

Annual carbon dioxide emissions (kgCO2)
                                           Kilograms              average              average
ENERGY USE                 co-efficient           household           individual          YOU

In the household
for each kilowatt hour

electricity*                            x 0.45                    2,000                     870

gas                                         x 0.19                    3,400                    1,480

for each litre                     

heating oil                             x 2.975     

In travel 
For each kilometre    

Petrol car: as driver                x 0.20                                              
                                                                             2,420                    1,050
Diesel car: as driver                x 0.14                       


Rail: Intercity                          x 0.11
        Other services                 x 0.16                      200                         90
        Underground                   x 0.07

Bus: London                           x 0.09                  
        Outside London              x 0.17                     230                         100
Express coach:                       x 0.08                 

Bicycle:                                   x 0.00                       0
Walking:                                 x 0.00

Air **: Within Europe             x.0.51                     4,210                    1,830        
             Outside Europe            x 0.32


TOTAL kilograms CO2                                        12,460                   5,420
              Tonnes CO2                                              12.5                       5.4


* The calculation of the carbon dioxide emission co-efficient is based on the            current fuel mix for electricity generation.
** Although varying by region and by altitude, these carbon dioxide emissions have been multiplied by an average factor of three to take account of the warming effect equivalent of other greenhouse gases in the upper atmosphere.


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CONTRACTION AND CONVERGENCE (C & C)

Getting well over 100 countries to agree on reducing CO2 emissions is one of the greatest challenges we face. Even with the 34 countries who took part in the original Kyoto Protocol Agreement at the Earth Summit in 1992, most considered themselves to be a special case! The Agreement has taken 12 years to ratify and only now in February 2005 is becoming legally binding. The US and Australia still consider themselves to be special cases and have not signed.
1n 1990 Aubrey Meyer from The Global Commons Institute put forward the case for an equitable sharing of carbon credits based on maximum sustainable CO2 emissions. The proposal emphasised the need for all countries to be allocated an equal per capita share, not just because this is morally correct but because it’s the only way to get agreement with so many countries.
This low emission rate translates to 1 tonne CO2 per person per year. Clearly with the UK and the US exceeding this by an average of 10x and 50x respectively, a massive adjustment in lifestyle and new clean ways of producing energy will be required. This reduction in emissions is described by the word contraction. However this will also take time and allowance must be made for the transition period before targets must be met. The agreement to converge to a base-line figure over time is known as convergence.      
Within this system there is also a facility for the trading of credits between countries. If one country lives within its allocation, the surplus can be sold to a country which exceeds theirs.