GHG 101 Flashcards

Question

Calculating Emissions

Answer 1

* Where is the data from? * How will this data be used? * Is staff adequately trained? * How is data quality evaluated? * What data management system should I use? * What is my timeline? * Who will do this?

Answer 2

the ratio between the amount of pollution generated and the amount of a given raw material processed.

Answer 3

Activity Data * Emissions Factor (EF) Activity Data * Energy Content * EF Activity Data * Energy Content * EF * Unit Conversion Electricity consumption x CO2e per unit

Answer 4

comprehensive source of data on the environmental characteristics of almost all electric power generated in the United States. eGRID data can be used for: – greenhouse gas registries and inventories – carbon footprints – consumer information disclosure – emission inventories and standards – power market changes – avoided emission estimates * Usually updated annually

Answer 5

a document that describes a process for completing a high-quality, organization-wide inventory. It should include the following: * Company details * Boundaries * Quantification methodologies and EFs * Data: sources, collection process, quality assurance * Base year plus any adjustments made * Management / Governance * Auditing & verification

Answer 6

* Facilities List – Detail Emissions Sources – Activity Data Sources – Activity Data Unit of Measure and any Conversion Factors – Data Collection Frequency and Flow * Emissions Factor Library (References) * Inventory Change Log

Answer 7

Pros: * Easy to use and manage * Low/no incremental expense * Low/no training required Cons: * Data can be lost, misplaced, inadvertently altered * Risk of version control issue

Answer 8

Pros: * Accessible 24/7 * Can limit access to authorized user(s) * Support and guidance offered Cons: *Dependent on an outside organization’s ongoing operation * Risk of lock-in * Specific for the reporting scheme

Answer 9

Pros: * Corporate system of record * Integration of ESG data with corporate strategy (risk management, operations, etc.) * Allows for corporate steering, i.e., decisionmaking based on extra-financial factors * Enables integrated reporting (with financial systems) Cons: * Specific training required * Risk of vendor lock-in * Cost * Not as flexible as purpose-built systems

Answer 10

- Improved / corrected activity data - Physical process change - eGRID region updates emission factors - Changes / improvements in your calculation methodology

Answer 11

An objective assessment of the accuracy and completeness of reported GHG information and the conformity of this information to pre-established GHG accounting and reporting principles.

Answer 12

-The Carbonn Registry -ICLEI/Clearpath -CDP -GRI -S&P -Integrated Reporting -SASB -TCFD -Ecovadis -Science Based Targets

Answer 13

- allow identification and quantification of the interactions (i.e., interlinkages, synergies, and trade-offs) - Allows them to be better managed as linked systems. -allows for greater integration of WEF systems in management and governance decision-making.

Answer 14

water removed from the source, e.g., aquifer, river, lake, or ocean, for use Ex. power generation

Answer 15

water removed from the source such that it is not available for reuse at the same location or downstream. Ex. irrigated agriculture

Answer 16

* 30% is groundwater, just 1% in surface water that humans can readily use

Answer 17

the energy consumed per unit volume of water processed, e.g., kWh of energy per million gallons (MG) of water -For water treatment, the larger the plant, the less energy intensive it is. -But for wastewater, the smallest and largest plants operate at nearly the same energy efficiency.

Answer 18

Ratio of total water withdrawals to available renewable supply in an area.

Answer 19

farmworkers' health and safety crop yields livestock health

Answer 20

exacerbates the climate impact of food production. Food waste=energy waste=>GHGs

Answer 21

macroscale forces shaping global demographics, economies, cultures, and ecosystems in the coming century. Examples: * COVID-19 pandemic * Accelerating urbanization * Resource scarcity * Demographic shifts * Shifts in global economic power * Technological breakthroughs * Climate change

Answer 22

in which the pandemic is gradually controlled in 2021 and the global economy quickly returns to pre-crisis levels. This would include action on all of today’s announced measurable policy intentions and targets for GHG reduction.

Answer 23

posits the same policy assumptions as STEPS but a prolonged pandemic means lasting damage to economic prospects. It assumes that the economy takes until 2023 to recover its pre-pandemic level, ushering in a period of lowest energy demand growth since the 1930s.

Answer 24

in which a surge in clean energy policies and investments sets global sustainable energy objectives on track in line with the Paris Climate Agreement for 2070.

Answer 25

building on the SDS, in which increasing numbers of countries and businesses target net-zero emissions. This scenario would speed up by 20 years the net zero emissions goals outlined in the SDS scenario.

Answer 26

-Need to reduce our impact while developing more food, energy, etc -E7 country economies transitioning from centers of labor and production to consumption-oriented economies, which increases pressure on the WEF nexus.

Answer 27

-geospatial modeling -battery development -methane emissions transparency is advancing

Answer 28

quantity of water used to produce a product throughout its supply chain

Answer 29

* Energy/water conservation and clean energy adoption * Regenerative agriculture * Food choice and food waste reduction * Employing nature-based solutions for GHG reduction and sequestration

Answer 30

measurement used to assess and compare methods of energy production. The LCOE of an energy-generating asset can be thought of as the average total cost of building and operating the asset per unit of total electricity generated over an assumed lifetime.

Answer 31

-reducing water pollution, -reducing GHG emissions, -saving energy, and -rebuilding soil fertility.

Answer 32

-eating less beef and pork from traditionally raised livestock would have a major impact on our climate-footprint with regard to diet -eating a larger percentage of our food from local sources would also reduce its energy and water footprint

Answer 33

* Fire-smart forest management * Forest carbon sequestration and urban tree planting * Coastal wetlands restoration (involving blue carbon, i.e., carbon captured by marine and coastal ecosystems).

Answer 34

-Cost/cost avoidance (co-benefits)—The best solutions to address GHG reduction often provide co-benefits of future cost avoidance related to operational and regulatory impacts. -Security and resiliency of operations—GHG reduction can increase resilience of operations by mitigating the effects of non-renewable energy supply procurement and making operations less vulnerable to certain climate impacts, such as extreme heat or flooding. - Supply chain impacts—This consideration can run the gamut from internal to global as well as short and long term. Climate impacts that affect supply chains vary by location or even continent. Physical, economic, economic, and labor forces impact the level of supply chain GHG emissions. -Social impacts—Impacts (including benefits/tradeoffs) from reducing GHG emissions may affect the labor force, communities in which operations are located, and consumers/customers.

Answer 35

provides guidance for designing national and subnational mitigation goals and a standardized approach for assessing and reporting progress toward goal achievement.

Answer 36

a commitment to reduce, or limit the increase of, GHG emission or emissions intensity by a specified quantity, to be achieved at a future date.

Answer 37

the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of another variable, such as economic output (GDP), energy (MWh), or population.

Answer 38

-goal boundary -goal timeframe -goal type -goal level

Answer 39

defines greenhouse gases, sectors, geographic area, and in-jurisdiction and out-of-jurisdiction emissions covered by a mitigation goal. Should be informed by the inventory developed and opportunities identified. Scopes-Geography-Sectors-Gases (chemical)

Answer 40

the way the goal is framed. This involves specification of a time period or periods and whether the goal relates to fixed emissions levels or an emissions trajectory

Answer 41

– Absolute vs. intensity – Fixed vs. baseline comparison

Answer 42

a mitigation goal that aims to reduce, or limit the increase of, emissions to an absolute emissions level in a target year. Such a goal makes no reference to a base year. Reduce or control the increase of emissions to an absolute emissions level in a target year. Ex. carbon neutrality goal (net zero emissions by a certain date).

Answer 43

a mitigation goal that aims to reduce, or control the increase of, emissions relative to an emissions level in a historical base year. Reduce or control the increase of emissions by a specified quantity relative to a base year. For example, 25% reduction from 1990 levels by 2020.

Answer 44

a mitigation goal that aims to reduce emissions intensity (emissions per unit of another variable, typically GDP) by a specified quantity relative to a historical base year. Reduce emissions intensity (emissions per unit of another variable, typically GDP) by a specified quantity relative to a base year. For example, a 40% reduction from 1990 base year intensity by 2020.

Answer 45

a mitigation goal that aims to reduce emissions by a specified quantity relative to a projected emissions baseline scenario. Reduce emissions by a specified quantity relative to a projected emissions baseline scenario. A baseline scenario is a reference case that represents future events or conditions most likely to occur in the absences of activities taken to meet the mitigation goal. For example, a 30% reduction from baseline scenario emissions in 2020.

Answer 46

* the base year or scenario baseline year, * the goal period, and * the target year (or, in the case of a multi-year goal, target period).

Answer 47

the specific year of historical data against which emissions are compared over time.

Answer 48

-A Single-Year Goal is a goal designed to achieve reduction in emissions or emissions intensity by a single target year. -A Multi-Year Goal is a goal designed to achieve reduction in emissions or emissions intensity over a series of target years.

Answer 49

-The definition of the Goal Period depends on the goal type, but generally describes the time period from when the goal is established to when it is intended to be achieved. -For multi-year goals, the Target Period is a period of several consecutive years over which the mitigation goal is to be achieved, which are the last years of the goal period.

Answer 50

the quantity of emission reductions or emissions and removals within the goal boundary in the target year or period that the jurisdiction commits to achieving. one strategy is benchmarking against other comparable entities.

Answer 51

* Protect the supply chain * Compare with peers/competitors * Follow management directives: “The Boss said so.” * Comply with (or anticipate) regulation * Respond to internal or external pressure

Answer 52

- corporate culture - competitive landscape - executive sponsorship - function/financial resources - business strategies - operational impact

Answer 53

– Investment costs (OPEX and/or CAPEX) – Resource requirements (especially people) – Financial benefit (cost reduction and/or revenue generation) – Return on Investment (ROI) – Payback Period

Answer 54

* Consider scenarios to reflect multiple directions and assumptions – Good vs Challenging – Global vs national and implications of both – Political agendas and landscape – Regulatory landscape – Technology availability and affordability – Competitor direction and pace * Stakeholders should be able to create the most practical scenario for the organization and its businesses – Best results when discussed among a group of stakeholders across the organization – Challenging the original scenarios is important because it creates engagement

Answer 55

an emissions reduction target aligned with the level of decarbonization required to keep global temperature increase below 2°C compared to pre-industrial temperatures, as described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Answer 56

the estimated cumulative net global anthropogenic CO2 emissions from the pre-industrial period to the time that anthropogenic CO2 emissions reach net zero that would result … in limiting global warming to a given level ….

Answer 57

the cumulative net global anthropogenic CO2 emissions from a given start date to the time that anthropogenic CO2 emissions reach net zero that would result … in limiting global warming to a given level …

Answer 58

the balance of anthropogenic emissions of GHGs to the atmosphere and anthropogenic removals over a specified period.

Answer 59

he difference between where global greenhouse gas emissions are heading under the current NDCs and where science indicates emissions should be in 2030 to be on a least-cost path towards limiting warming to below 2°C or further to 1.5°C

Answer 60

a collaboration among CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature to enlist businesses in adopting science-based targets. SBTi has provided rigorous definitions in a field too often plagued by vague claims of “carbon neutrality.” It shows the progression from carbon neutrality to reducing emissions to reach a science-based target, to reaching net zero emissions, and eventually becoming carbon negative. (Need a recreated version of this slide with adequate resolution. SBTi also provides guidance for companies that might choose other options. They include the following: * The Climate Stabilization Intensity method. * The Corporate Finance Approach to Climate-stabilizing Targets (CFACT). * The Center for Sustainable Organization’s (CSO) Contextbased Carbon Metrics.

Answer 61

* Absolute Emissions Contraction * Sectoral Decarbonization Approach * Economic Intensity Contraction

Answer 62

method for setting absolute targets that uses contraction of absolute emissions. In this case, the organization establishes a base year, inventories base year emissions by scope, and sets a target year.

Answer 63

scientifically-informed method for companies to set GHG reduction targets necessary to stay within a 2°C temperature rise above preindustrial levels. * Company emission intensity converges to industry average. * Industry target contracts to meet science-based target. * Details may change with time

Answer 64

method for setting economic intensity targets using the contraction of economic intensity, measured as Greenhouse Gas Emissions per Value Added. * Target becomes more ambitious annually. * Not preferred, owing to volatility in underlying metric.

Answer 65

* Time and scope are critical factors – Short-term and medium-term targets are critical, even when aiming for long-term goals * Closer to the core (direct emissions) are within greater control, influence and visibility * Embed requirements and expectations into executive compensation and review * Dedicated staffing and resourcing combined with integration into other functions/units * Aggressive targets improve performance (if appropriate staffing and resourcing are in place) * Celebrate success and correct shortcomings