Thursday, November 19 2009

In an effort to increase awareness of greenhouse gas emissions, Cariri (Caribbean Industrial Research Institute) hosted a recent seminar. The forum focused on introducing organisations to the basics of measuring, and ultimately reducing, their greenhouse gas emissions.

Two consultants from the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) facilitated the half-day session, which was held at the Cara Suites Conference Centre, Claxton Bay: Erik Veldman, manager of Climate Change Services and Michael Leering, Greenhouse Gas Programme Coordinator. Often Expressed in terms of carbon dioxide quantities, a carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an industry, individual, event or product. Underscoring the fact that “ you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” Veldman advised on ways of measuring/reporting emission reductions.

GHG footprints are most often quantified on an annual basis, to track progress over time and showcase improvements in carbon performance.

Seminar participants, representing mainly the energy sector, were made aware of the benefits of managing and reducing GHG emissions; implementing emission-reduction projects and the tools (standards and methods) for preparing a GHG inventory. The point was made that GHG inventories are applicable to all forms of business, whether private sector or government.

Leering lamented the fact that the Kyoto Protocol is not being adhered to by many of its signatories. It defines legally binding targets and timetables for reducing the GHG emissions of industrialised countries which ratified this Protocol in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. This was the end-result of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, aimed at combating global warming.

Prior to this seminar, Cariri held a two-day training workshop at its UWI Campus, St Augustine headquarters themed “Measuring Your Organisation’s Carbon Footprint: ISO 14064-1 Essentials – Greenhouse Gas Inventories.”