EKC2023

Introduction to the Green Class Rating Assessment and Application

Aug 16, 2023, 1:30 PM

20m

Jupiter

Environment and Energy [EE4] 2ND Korea-EU Technology Cooperation on Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Regional Innovation

Speaker

Junbeum Kim (University of Technology of Troyes)

Description

Climate change is already affecting the world, with extreme weather conditions such as drought, heat waves, heavy rain, floods, and landslides becoming more frequent, including in Europe. Other consequences of the rapidly changing climate include rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and biodiversity loss. Therefore, many countries set themselves up for carbon neutrality by 2050. Carbon neutrality means balancing emitting and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere in carbon sinks. Removing carbon oxide from the atmosphere and storing it is known as carbon sequestration. All worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will have to be counterbalanced by carbon sequestration to achieve net zero emissions.
The manufacturing and production sector accounts for one-fifth of global carbon emissions and 54% of the world’s energy usage. Reducing the carbon emissions from the manufacturing sector will play a vital role in reaching global climate targets – while for the manufacturers themselves, the benefits of carbon management extend beyond sustainability. To date, many manufacturing companies are quantifying the carbon footprint of their products and the whole company (scope 1, scope 2, and Scope 3). However, they could not know their carbon amount level; they produce CO2 emissions more or less than other companies' CO2 emissions in the same industrial sector. The green class rating assessment (GCR) system evaluates the carbon footprint per million won and comparing with the average carbon footprint (ton CO2 eqv. per million won) of the industry. Depending on the lower level, the five grades can be given like Excellent (80.1% - below), Outstanding (60.1%-80% lower than average score), Very Good (40.1%-60% lower than average score), Good (20.1%-40% lower than average score), and Satisfactory (0%-20% lower than average score).
The average industry carbon footprint is based on the Environmentally Extended Input-Output (EEIO) table, developed using the input-output tables reported by the Bank of Korea and the national energy statistics in South Korea.
For example, one chemical company produces petrochemicals, fine chemicals, organic peroxide, thermoplastic polyurethane, and other products. The company’s carbon footprint (ton CO2 eqv. per million won) was calculated based on their financial statements and energy (electricity, gas, etc.) consumption. It was 0.0193 ton CO2 eq. Per million won. This chemical company ranked outstanding (60.1% - 80% lower than the average score). With this method and approach, the companies could be known their status in terms of CO2 emission level. If their CO2 emission level is higher than the average level, they should have a plan to reduce the CO2 emission from the process.

References

References
[1] Yujin Park, Junbeum Kim, Daeseung Kyung, Hung-Suck Park, Characterization of Greenhouse Gases Emissions by Economic Sectors Using Environmentally Extended Input-Output Analysis (EEIOA). J Korean Soc Environ Eng. 2022;44(9):308-335. 2022
[2] Ronald E. Miller and Peter D. BlairMiller, Input–Output Analysis Foundations and Extensions (Second Edition), National Academy of Sciences, Washington DC, (2009).
[3] Gowdy JM and Miller JL. Technological and demand change in energy use: an input-output analysis. Environment and Planning A, volume 19, 1387-1398(1987).
[4] Energy Statistics Yearbook, Korea Energy Statistics Information System 2019.