To limit the rise in average global temperature to 2°C by the end of the century, we need to make a rapid transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. Free ourselves from fossil fuels, while adapting to the consequences of climate change. This also means knowing how to assess emissions correctly, which is a prerequisite for identifying levers for action.
By adopting the National Low-Carbon Strategy (Stratégie nationale bas-carbone – SNBC), France has created a roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. The aim is to reduce France’s carbon footprint and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, by reducing the country’s GHG emissions by a factor of 6 compared to 1990 levels. In concrete terms, this means a reduction from 445 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (MtCO2e) emitted into the atmosphere in 2018 to 80 MtCO2e by mid-century. This objective now replaces “Factor 4”, which for a long time was the target set for 2050: to divide emissions by 4 compared with 1990.
At the same time, we need to double the volumes absorbed by natural carbon sinks (forests, agricultural soils) and develop new carbon sequestration techniques. Carbon neutrality is thus defined as the balance between carbon emitted into the atmosphere and carbon sequestered (by oceans, plants and geological storage), a balance that must tend towards zero.
The ERC sequence: avoid, reduce, compensate
Aware of the risks posed by global warming, and now witnessing its effects around the world, more and more public and private players are committing to a proactive GHG reduction strategy, compatible with the goal of carbon neutrality. They need to evolve their business models and management methods to promote low-carbon, resilient and value-creating activities. To do this, they must act in several phases:
- Inventory their greenhouse gas emissions, expressed in tonnes of CO2 equivalent.
- ERC” reasoning: avoid, reduce, compensate.
- Shift their business model towards the circular economy
- Integrating biodiversity conservation
- Develop the energy component of the action plan.
To achieve this, it is essential to use common methods, common measurement protocols and a common vocabulary. That’s what voluntary standardization is all about. And it’s the professionals in the sector concerned who write these standards, in a spirit of consensus and respect for the general interest. Join our standardization committees! One example is the current international work on the notion of carbon neutrality(future ISO 14068).
