Carbon Footprint
– Emerging ISO Standard
E. Devendar
Scientist F & Head,
Chemical Department
Bureau of Indian Standards
Important terms
Greenhouse gas
gaseous constituent of the atmosphere, both
natural and anthropogenic, that absorbs and
emits radiation at specific wavelengths within
the spectrum of infrared radiation emitted by
the earth's surface, the atmosphere, and clouds
Important terms (cont)
Carbon Footprint
sum of greenhouse gas emissions and
greenhouse gas removals, expressed as net
global warming impact in CO2e
The CO2e of a specific amount of a
greenhouse gas is calculated using the
mass of a given greenhouse gas
multiplied by its global warming potential
Carbon footprint of a product
carbon footprint of a product system
Climate Change
Natural reasons
Anthropogenic activities
- Industrial activity
How Climate change occurs
List of Greenhouse gases
and their Global Warming Potentials
GHGs and their GWPs
Sl.
No.
Greenhouse Gases
100 year GWP
1.
Carbon Dioxide
1
2.
Methane
3.
Nitrous Oxide
4.
Substances controlled under the Montreal
Protocol
{Chlorofluoro Compounds, etc}
(19 compounds)
5.
Hydrofluorocarbons (11 compounds)
6.
Perfluorinated compounds (11 compounds)
7.
Fluorinated ethers (15 compounds)
8.
Perfluoropolyethers (1 compound)
10,300
9.
Hydrocarbons and other compounds
(3 compounds)
1 - 13
25
298
5 - 14400
124 - 14800
7390 - 22800
59 - 14900
Global Warming Potential (GWP)
Characterization factor describing the
radiative forcing impact of one massbased unit of a given greenhouse gas
relative to an equivalent unit of carbon
dioxide over a given period of time
Impact of Climate Change on Nations
Rise in Sea-levels
Increase of deserts and dry lands
Change in crop pattern
Effect on Eco-system and Bio-diversity
Measures to cope-up with Climate
Change
Measures at International Level
- UNFCCC (CDM, Joint Implementation)
- GHG Accounting –
Green House Gas Protocol
Initiative (WRI and WBCSD)
- Carbon Disclosure Projects
Proactive Measures at National Level
 Indian Network of Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) –
127 labs on climate change & impacts in different sectors
 Expert Group on a low carbon strategy and inclusive
growth – to recommend for prioritized actions in Electricity,
Transport, Industry, Oil & Gas, Buildings and Forestry
 Carbon Tax on Coal to fund Clean Energy
 Perform, Achieve and Trade Mechanism for Energy
efficiency
 Assessment of Impacts of Climate Change on Water
Resources, Agriculture, Forests and Human Health
 Bachat Lamp Yojana as CDM Program
 State level actions
National Missions under the PM’s National
Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC)
National Mission for Sustainable Habitat
Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission
Green India Mission
Sustaining the Himalayas
Enhanced Energy Efficiency
National Water Mission
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture
National Mission for Strategic Knowledge
for Climate Change
Instruments available with Common Man to
reduce Climate Change
Leave a low Carbon Footprint
Opting for Products with less CFP
Opting for Products of Organizations with lower
CFP
ISO’s contribution to Environment
ISO 14001 Environment Management System
Standard
ISO 14064 Parts 1 to 3 Green House gases
Quantification and Reporting
Draft Standards on CFP of Products
Project on CFP of Organizations
ISO Draft Standard on CFP of Products
– An Overview
Principles
- Life cycle perspective
- Relative approach and functional unit
- Iterative approach
- Scientific approach
- Relevance, Completeness
- Accuracy, Transparency
ISO Draft Standard on CFP of Products
– An Overview (Cont.)
Methodology
- Goal & Scope definition
- Inventory analysis
- Impact Assessment
- Interpretation
Reporting
Communication
Deficiencies of ISO/CD 14067
 Single environmental issue
 Is a Guideline document but is being thrust upon
as a Requirement Standard.
 Based on LCA methodology which is having
inherent deficiencies and limitations
 Use of databases which do not reflect the true CFP
of the product
 Communication of CFP to consumers when
methodology has not matured
 Being a Comparative Assertion Standard, would
pose a TBT
Hidden Agenda through Climate Change
Is Climate Change and Environment the only
concern?
- Offsetting of Leakage of Industries
- Discrimination of Products
- Carbon Tax Regime
- Marketing of Clean Technologies
Role of BIS wrt ISO/CD 14067
Educating the Stakeholders
Mobilizing National Opinion
Crystallizing of Indian Viewpoint
Indian Ballot on the 3 versions of the draft ISO
Standard
Lobbying with other countries
Lobbying through PASC, EASC
Efforts of MoC, MEA
Present status of the draft ISO standard
Future perceptions of ISO/CD 14067
ISO Standard would be developed
Labeling of Products with CFP
Carbon Tax Regime
Preference for products with Lower CFPs
CFP in Defense Sector
Defense Sector as Producer
Defense Sector as User/in Combat role
End-of-use stage of Products?
Defense Sector as an Establishment/Consumer
Defense Sector as a Producer
Educating on CFP within organization
Shift to Clean Processes in Defense Production
units, spares, etc
Choice of inputs with low CFP
Design for Low CFP at Use stage
Design for Low CFP at Disposal stage
Defense Sector as an
User/Combat Role
Communication of CFP aspects to Operational
areas
End-of-use stage of Products?
Decommissioning of Equipment
Decommissioning of facilities
Disposal of Spares/Consumables
Defense Sector as an
Establishment/Consumer
Communication of CFP aspects to Suppliers,
Vendors and Subcontractors
Choice of suppliers with Clean Processes
Choice of inputs with low CFP
Environment conducive for lower CFPs
National Strategies to exploit
ISO 14067
Identification and introduction of cleaner
processes
Development of Product Category Rules for
Products
Computation of CFPs
Promote Indian Products with lower CFP
Thanks!