Navigate the complex world of carbon management with our comprehensive Carbon Glossary. This guide breaks down key terms and concepts, making it easier to understand the language of sustainability and effectively use the Carbonfit Dashboard to achieve your environmental goals.
Blue carbon might sound a bit technical, but it's actually quite straightforward. This term refers to the incredible ability of coastal ecosystems like mangroves, seagrasses, and salt marshes to capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. It's like these coastal habitats are the unsung heroes quietly helping combat climate change by trapping carbon in their roots and sediments. So, when we talk about blue carbon, we're giving a nod to the vital role these coastal ecosystems play in keeping our planet in balance.
Carbon accounting might sound a bit like number crunching, but it's essentially keeping tabs on how much carbon your activities release into the atmosphere. It's like a detailed report card for your environmental impact. By meticulously measuring and managing the carbon emissions associated with everything from energy use to business operations, carbon accounting helps individuals and businesses take meaningful steps towards reducing their carbon footprint. It's a practical way to turn good intentions into measurable actions for a healthier planet.
A carbon assessment is like taking a thorough health check for your environmental impact. It involves evaluating and quantifying the carbon emissions associated with specific activities, processes, or even an entire organization. Through this assessment, you get a clear picture of your carbon footprint, helping you identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions to reduce your overall impact on the environment. It's a practical tool for anyone looking to navigate towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly path.
Carbon capture is an advanced technology designed to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from industrial processes or power plants. This process intercepts and isolates CO2 before it is released into the atmosphere, mitigating its contribution to climate change. The captured CO2 can then be stored underground or utilized in various industrial applications. Carbon capture serves as a crucial tool in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to environmental sustainability and fostering cleaner industrial practices.
A carbon credit is essentially an environmental currency earned through initiatives that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions. When individuals or businesses take actions that decrease their carbon footprint, they earn these credits. These credits can then be traded or sold to entities looking to offset their emissions. It's a way of encouraging and rewarding activities that contribute to carbon reduction, creating a market-driven incentive for environmentally responsible practices. In essence, carbon credits play a role in balancing out our collective impact on the planet.
A colourless, odourless gas composed of carbon and oxygen, produced through natural processes like respiration and combustion of fossil fuels. CO2 is a significant greenhouse gas, playing a central role in the Earth's carbon cycle. While essential for plant life through photosynthesis, excessive CO2 emissions from human activities contribute to the greenhouse effect, leading to global warming and climate change. Monitoring and mitigating CO2 levels are crucial elements in addressing environmental sustainability and climate resilience efforts.
Carbon management is the systematic tracking and reduction of a company's carbon emissions. It involves monitoring and optimizing processes to minimize the environmental footprint of business operations.
Carbon neutrality is a state achieved when an entity's net carbon emissions are effectively zero. This equilibrium results from a combination of reducing internal emissions, adopting low-carbon practices, and offsetting any remaining emissions through investments in projects that remove or prevent the release of an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases. It represents a commitment to a balanced environmental impact, where efforts to reduce emissions are complemented by measures that counterbalance any residual carbon footprint.
Decarbonisation is a strategic process aimed at reducing the carbon intensity of various sectors, such as energy, transportation, and industry. It involves transitioning away from carbon-intensive practices, like the use of fossil fuels, towards cleaner, more sustainable alternatives. This can include adopting renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and implementing technologies that capture or offset carbon emissions. Decarbonisation is a crucial step in addressing climate change, aligning with global efforts to create a low-carbon and environmentally sustainable future.
ESG, or Environmental, Social, and Governance, is a framework used to assess a company's performance in key non-financial areas that impact sustainability and ethical practices. The "E" evaluates a company's environmental impact and efforts toward conservation. The "S" focuses on social responsibility, including aspects like fair labor practices and community engagement. The "G" examines the governance structure, ethical business practices, and transparency. Investors and stakeholders use ESG criteria to gauge a company's commitment to responsible business practices, aiming for long-term positive societal and environmental outcomes.
Non-renewable energy sources such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which release carbon dioxide when burned, contributing to the greenhouse effect.
The GHG Protocol, or Greenhouse Gas Protocol, is a globally recognized accounting tool for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions. It provides a standardized framework developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The GHG Protocol assists organizations, businesses, and governments in comprehensively assessing their carbon footprint across scopes, including direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions from energy use (Scope 2), and other indirect emissions in the value chain (Scope 3). By adhering to the GHG Protocol, entities can effectively track and report their emissions, fostering transparency and aiding in the development of emission reduction strategies.
Life Cycle Assessment is a systematic and comprehensive method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product, process, or service throughout its entire life cycle. This includes raw material extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life disposal. LCA considers factors like energy consumption, resource depletion, and emissions to assess the overall environmental footprint. It provides valuable insights for decision-makers seeking to minimize environmental impacts, guiding sustainable design, and promoting responsible consumption by identifying areas for improvement across the entire life cycle.
Net zero is a state where the total greenhouse gas emissions produced by an entity are balanced by the amount removed or offset, resulting in a neutral overall impact on the environment. Achieving net zero involves substantial reductions in emissions through sustainable practices, coupled with the use of carbon removal technologies or investing in projects that absorb or prevent an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases. It represents a significant commitment to addressing climate change and creating a balance between the emissions released and those mitigated or compensated for, contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future.
In the environmental context, offsetting refers to the practice of compensating for one's own carbon emissions by investing in projects or activities that reduce or capture an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases elsewhere. This can include initiatives like reforestation, renewable energy projects, or methane capture. Offsetting allows individuals, businesses, or organizations to counterbalance their carbon footprint, contributing to overall emissions reduction efforts and promoting environmental sustainability.
An international treaty adopted in 2015 with the goal of limiting global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit it to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
An emissions reduction target is science-based if it accords with what climate science tells us about how to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement: to limit global warming to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels and ideally pursue a stricter 1.5°C target.
Sustainability involves making choices that balance current needs with the long-term health of the planet. It's a responsible approach to resource use, ensuring that our actions today don't compromise the well-being of future generations.
A set of 17 global goals established by the United Nations as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDGs encompass a wide range of interconnected objectives, including poverty alleviation, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, climate action, and partnerships for the realisation of a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient world by the year 2030.
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Carbonfit is built to make getting to net zero simple. Find out your footprint, analyse your carbon hot spots and gain meaningful, measurable carbon reductions.
Empower your team with Carbon Literacy Training by carbonfit, designed to educate and inspire action towards sustainability. Our comprehensive program enhances awareness and drives impactfu carbon reduction practices.
Optimise your energy procurement strategy with carbonfit's expert services. We provide tailored solutions and through our extensive experience in the market will secure a cost-effective, certified sustainable energy contract, ensuring both financial and decarbonisation benefits.
Our team of carbonift CIBSE Chartered and Low Carbon Engineers conduct thorough site surveys with to identify energy inefficiencies and sustainability opportunities. Our detailed assessments pave the way for actionable improvements and compliance with regulations.
Enhance your supply chain's sustainability with Carbonfit's comprehensive analysis. Our GHG-approved assessors will engage with you to review and optimize every step of the process in line with the Specific GHG Methodology. This collaboration ensures sustainable practices, benefiting both your operations and your suppliers by reducing everyone's carbon footprint.
carbonfit is not just another carbon calculator. Not sure where to start and haven't created a Carbon Reduction Plan for your business? Or perhaps you are being asked by your own customers to provide Carbon Footprint and Carbon Reduction Plan? The Carbon Reduction Plan Launch Pack is the perfect solution to get your business started on its Net Zero journey.
All our carbonfit plans are fully flexible and can be built to suit your business needs. Plans include Carbon Reduction+, Energy Reduction, Scope 3 Supply Chain and Net Zero Solutions Grants & Funding.