Carbon Footprint Training

Calculating Your Carbon Footprint  

Climate change is causing havoc in people’s lives all over the world. The impact is so devastating that it is affecting the social, political and economic infrastructure of many countries, more specifically developing countries. Calculating one's carbon footprint provides a better picture of the impact of the individual on the climate change, enabling institutions to lessen the negative environmental consequences of their activities.

Carbon footprint training

Carbon footprint refers to the greenhouse gases emitted by individuals, factories, organisations and even countries. It is essentially a measure of carbon dioxide, methane and carbon dioxide equivalent emitted from different sources on earth. A wide spectrum of carbon footprint training is available for interested professionals, particularly those working in the science and engineering fields. Attendees of these courses might have backgrounds in chemistry, geology, environmental science, environmental engineering, civil engineering and geography. Training topics may include hydrology, modelling, direct and indirect emissions and weather patterns.

Carbon footprint awareness training can, however, also be relevant to non-technical professionals working in functions concerned with environmental auditing and corporate social responsibility (CSR). This is because all modern companies' business activities - and particularly those related to the production and distribution of products - have consequences for the environment. With increasing evidence showing the devastating effects of greenhouse gases, and increased awareness of these effects, it is thus in any company's interest to cut their carbon footprint.

Why is it calculated?

Carbon footprint is calculated for two main reasons:

•         To manage the footprint and reduce emissions over time.
•         To report the footprint accurately to a third party.

As climate change is a burning issue of our time, world leaders are implementing and imposing policies to prevent increased burning of fossil fuels, though the demand of energy sources are higher than ever. The understanding of carbon footprint has thus become an essential part of running a business.

Many free-to-use calculators are now also available online for individuals interested in measuring the impact of their daily activities on the environment.

The need for carbon footprint training

Global carbon dioxide levels are now 400 ppm whereas scientists have concluded 350 ppm to be the safe limit for habitation purposes of both human and animals. Many species have already gone extinct for the increased acidity of seawater. Industries, no matter how small or big, are thus under increasing pressure to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. This is where training in the mechanics of carbon footprint calculations becomes highly valuable.

Many countries that fail to keep their emissions within a set limit can be required to compensate monetarily. This, combined with public opinion shifting increasingly in favour of environmentalism, are putting even more pressure on industry to find new ways of mitigating their environmental impact. The result is that organisations are increasingly in need of professionals with an understanding of how to calculate carbon footprints, and to act on the results.

Why attend carbon footprint training

Corporations all over the world are being pushed to to abandon the use of fossil fuels and shift to renewable energy. The GHG protocol limits the amount of GHG to be released directly into the atmosphere. ISO 140645 also provides guidance on corporate footprints and calculation & emission reporting. Those who are already in compliance with these protocols now publish their footprint for advertisement and marketing purposes. Hence, a new world of opportunities is opening up for professionals who participate in carbon footprint awareness training.