The carbon footprint, alongside the water footprint, is an element of the environmental (ecological) footprint. The water footprint is an analysis of human demand for natural resources. Human consumption of natural resources is compared to our planet's capacity to regenerate them. The environmental footprint is the estimated number of hectares of land and sea surface needed to compensate for resources used for consumption and waste absorption. It is measured in global hectares (gha) per person.
Great Britain was the first country to begin calculating the carbon footprint of products and entire companies, driven by the fact that its greenhouse gas emissions exceeded accepted standards.
For what purpose is it calculated?
Understanding our carbon footprint empowers individuals to contribute to environmental improvement. Reports prepared for the European Commission – Fossil CO2 and GHG emissions of all word countries[1] show that the average resident of the European Union emits 7 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere – the most by residents of Estonia (over 18 tonnes per capita), Luxembourg (almost 17 tonnes) and the Czech Republic (over 10 tonnes), and the least by citizens of Switzerland and France (less than 5 tonnes).
Businesses decide to calculate their carbon footprint for a variety of reasons, primarily driven by market demands. In many cases, particularly when collaborating with international firms, this calculation is a requirement—especially when partnering with companies in the United Kingdom. For a Polish company seeking to establish international partnerships or participate in global tenders, it is essential to calculate the carbon footprint for each specific product. primarily driven by market demands. In many cases, particularly when collaborating with international firms, this calculation is a requirement—especially when partnering with companies in the United Kingdom. For a Polish company seeking to establish international partnerships or participate in global tenders, it is essential to calculate the carbon footprint for each specific product.
All businesses are required to report their carbon footprint to the Carbon Disclosure Project.This is an international non-profit organization that has created a system for companies and cities to calculate, disclose, manage and share their comprehensive information on pro-environmental activities and share achievements in reducing greenhouse gases.
The calculation of carbon footprint is also forced by companies' social responsibility reports and non-financial reporting.
In Poland, it is mainly international companies that decide to calculate their carbon footprint and have a contractor who requires the size of the carbon footprint to be determined. This situation seems to be slowly changing: more and more small and medium-sized companies.
How to calculate your carbon footprint?
In Poland, the most common carbon footprint calculation system is the Publicly Available Specification 2050, developed by the British Standards Institute. PAS 2050 specifies requirements for assessing greenhouse gas emissions in the life cycle of goods and services based on key life cycle assessment techniques and principles. BSI updates the quantification of life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions for all goods and services in line with the latest technical developments. They enable the environmental impact of a company’s products and services to be measured and greenhouse gas emissions to be measured throughout their life cycle. The PAS 2050 specification is based on ISO 14044.
You can also calculate your carbon footprint using appropriate calculators available on various websites, including the one created by the UN - https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/footprintcalc.
How to reduce your carbon footprint – examples of good practice.
As not only large companies but also each of us. To help reduce the carbon footprint and thus achieve a positive impact on the environment, you can introduce several positive habits into your life:
- proper diet – eating local and seasonal products,
- limiting meat consumption,
- when shopping – use reusable fabric bags,
- conscious selection of clothing – clothes made from recycled materials or with appropriate eco-labels,
- limiting car travel in favor of bicycle or public transport,
- replacing lighting with energy-saving ones,
- waste segregation.
Carbon footprint certificate for Gór-Stal and termPIR® panels
TermPIR® products have been certified for their carbon footprint. It is highly encouraging that environmental awareness is increasing, accompanied by heightened standards for production practices. One of the pro-ecological activities is to reduce the carbon footprint. In Poland, certification verifying the low environmental impact of production is not mandatory - however, in many highly developed countries, it is a key factor influencing product selection.
TermPIR® insulation boards have been tested to document the lack of adverse impact of their production on the natural environment. This is further proof that PIR is the material of the future and our products are completely safe for the environment.
[1] https://edgar.jrc.ec.europa.eu/report_2022