Climate change is an important global issue that grows more urgent by the day.
Decades of heavy industry have seen carbon emissions rise to alarming levels and the impact is starting to be seen around the world.
Extreme weather conditions and rising sea levels are all effects of too much carbon in the atmosphere, and we all have a duty to try and prevent the situation getting worse.
Key Points:
- Carbon emissions, in most cases Carbon Dioxide, contributes to a changing climate. Because we have become so used to getting our energy from fossil fuels, carbon emissions have shot up since the early 1900s.
- As carbon traps heat and keeps it within the atmosphere, it is claimed our world is getting hotter. Because of the increase in temperature, weather conditions have changed with floods and wildfires becoming more common.
- There are many ways to reduce your business’ carbon emissions, such as reducing waste, changing machinery and more.
What are carbon emissions?
When carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, it’s measured in terms of carbon emissions.
Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that contributes to climate change, by trapping heat from the sun and warming the earth.
Where do carbon emissions come from?
According to National Geographic, burning fossil fuels is the number one source of global CO2 emissions.
Because we have become so used to getting our energy from fossil fuels, carbon emissions have shot up since the early 1900s.
Although they’re projected to stay at their current level for the next twenty years, it’s important that we do what we can to minimise our carbon emissions as much as possible. Pumping more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere could be catastrophic for the world as we know it.
What is the impact of carbon emissions?
Carbon emissions are contributing to climate change which can have catastrophic consequences for people around the world.
As carbon traps heat and keeps it within the atmosphere, it means our world is getting hotter. Because of the increase in temperature, weather conditions have changed with floods and wildfires becoming more common.
Another effect of climate change is the rise in sea levels which can see mass migration happening on a global scale.
To avoid all of these devastating events taking place, we need to make sure the earth doesn’t get any warmer than 1.5 degrees.
How can you reduce your carbon emissions and become net zero?
There are a number of ways you can reduce your business’ carbon emissions down and aim for net zero.
To start with, you’ll need to get an understanding of your company’s carbon footprint by using a tool like the Carbon Trust’s online calculator.
Once you know how much carbon you’re producing, you can start to set targets to achieve. It might be that one area of your business produces more carbon emissions than the others, so you can decide to focus your attention there.
- Making your processes more sustainable can also help. Swapping your equipment for high-quality efficient machinery can be costly, but in the long-term, it can help you reduce your overall carbon emissions.
- You should also look at the amount of waste your business produces, and whether any of it can be reused or recycled. Especially if you’re working in a manufacturing environment, there may be instances where you can reuse water or other materials and minimise the amount you dispose of.
- Taking a look at your supply chain and identifying greener partners to work with can also help you to bring down your carbon emissions.
As consumers choose to buy from more ethical and sustainable businesses, it’s important to make sure all your bases are covered and you’re doing everything you can to bring greener processes to your business.
Listen to our training experts discuss how your business can become more sustainable, in our green skills podcast
Develop your team’s sustainability skills
Anyone in your team can start building their sustainability skills with our IEMA course qualifications.
We are only one of 80 IEMA-approved training centres in the world, and we are proud to deliver top-quality training courses that can help your people enhance their green credentials.
From absolute beginners to those who are at practitioner level, there are IEMA qualifications to suit everyone. Having IEMA-certified people in your team will mean you’re able to bring sustainable skills into your business and prepare your company for a greener world.
Take a look at our IEMA courses for all levels of talent within your business, including complete beginners.
- Pathways to Net Zero – The IEMA Pathways to Net Zero is a 2-day course, perfect for those who are taking their first step into the sustainability field.
- Environmental Sustainability Skills For The Workforce is a 1-day introductory course for beginners. It provides fundamental environmental and sustainability awareness.
- Environmental Sustainability Skills For Managers is a 2-day course that builds on your foundation knowledge. It shows managers how to apply their newfound skills in the workplace and oversee a team applying sustainability processes.
- The Certificate In Environmental Management is a 15-day course designed for those at an operational level, already in an environmental or sustainability role.
- The Foundation Certificate In Environmental Management is a 5-day course for beginners on environmental management and sustainability issues. It gives you knowledge of environmental, sustainability and governance principles.
