Why are energy assessments powerful tools for achieving sustainable development?
Climate change remains the major challenge of our time. Since the late nineteenth century, Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by approximately 1.2 to 1.3 degrees, largely because human activities release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The use of fossil fuels for electricity, heating and transport is still the primary reason for our planet’s rising temperature. However, other activities, such as deforestation, changes in land use, agriculture, manufacturing and industrial processes have all made major contributions to our current predicament.
As temperatures continue to rise, the impacts for climate change are becoming increasingly clear. More frequent and intense heatwaves, changing rainfall patterns, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers are all increasing the pressure on biodiversity and ecosystems, and affecting communities and businesses around the world.
There is an urgent need for governments and organisations to get to grips with, manage and reduce their environmental impacts.
To be able to fully understand an organisation’s commitment to sustainability, identifying its carbon footprint via a comprehensive energy strategy is very important. An energy assessment provides valuable insight into how energy is consumed across an organisation or project. This makes it easier for businesses to quantify their greenhouse gas emissions and confidently establish a baseline for improving these in the future.
Without an energy assessment, it is much more difficult for an organisation to identify opportunities for improving efficiency and monitor its own progress in reducing emissions.
Businesses can usually substantially lower their carbon outputs by:
- Improving energy efficiency within their buildings
- Upgrading their heating, cooling and lighting systems
- Investing in electricity derived from renewables
- Encouraging or incentivising the use of sustainable travel and transport
- Embedding energy management into their day-to-day operations
Many organisations will, however, still be producing emissions that it will not be possible to eliminate. This is where climate credits can play an important role.
A climate credit equates to one metric tonne of carbon dioxide that has been avoided, reduced or removed through a verified climate project. These projects range from reforestation, renewable energy generation, peatland restoration and methane capture.
The UK Emissions Trading Scheme covers around 1,000 installation and aircraft operators, in sectors such as power generation, manufacturing and aviation.
By investing in verified climate credits, organisations can help to finance projects that contribute to global climate action, thereby offsetting their own unavoidable residual emissions.
Carbon offsetting should never be viewed as an alternative to reducing emissions. But it does contribute to a much wider sustainability strategy built on measurement, transparency and continuous improvement.
Organisations that combine accurate reporting with meaningful emissions reductions and responsible carbon offsetting are still making a meaningful commitment to the environment. Taking a balanced approach aligns with recognised best practice and helps to build trust with customers, investors and stakeholders.
The planet’s transition to a more sustainable future will require collective action. While governments, industries and communities all have a role to play, businesses are in a unique position to lead by example.
Using accurate energy assessments as a starting point will give organisations a much better understanding of their environmental impact, and enable them to make informed decisions that will reduce their emissions. Once significant reductions have been made, climate credits are a practical and meaningful way of supporting global climate projects and addressing emissions that remain difficult to eliminate.
