CO₂ Emission tracking…reducing our greenhouse gases

IISD supports the societal goal of GHG (greenhouse gases) emission reduction and actively pursues this aim through its work under the Climate Change and Energy Strategic Objective and by tracking carbon emissions from IISD operations.

Measurement Method

IISD is using a method developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to track organizational GHG emissions.

This method is described in detail at the GHG Protocol Initiative web site at: http://www.ghgprotocol.org.

Based on this method, IISD is measuring CO₂ emissions (Note: non-CO₂ gases—(CH₄ and N₂0)— are negligible) for:

1. Utility consumption: electricity and natural gas consumption at the Winnipeg office.
2. Business travel: includes all IISD employees and associates travelling on IISD business by planes, cars and trains.
3. Employee commuting: includes commuting to work done by all IISD employees.

Progress

Collection of carbon emission data started April 1, 2002, and the data collected from April 1, 2002, to September 30, 2002, will be assessed and used to develop a carbon emission management strategy in advance of our fiscal year end March 31, 2003. This strategy will consider how to reduce carbon emissions and then provide guidelines on purchasing carbon emission credits in the carbon retail market through a broker.