HANSA
for future

Why?

Climate change is an enormous challenge and the defining issue of our time. The consequences of global warming are becoming increasingly noticeable, and the pressure on governments and companies is growing. There is now a global consensus regarding the urgent need to counter man-made climate change.

Success in reducing emissions depends to a large extent on voluntary and consistent action by businesses in industrialised countries. We at Hansa Klimasysteme are also ready to play our part and take responsibility for the world we will leave to our children and grandchildren.

Greenhouse gases are distributed evenly in the atmosphere, which is why it makes sense to avoid emissions in those areas where costs are lowest. In addition, projects in emerging markets and developing countries contribute to the improvement of the economic, social and environmental situation and support the achievement of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. For emerging markets and developing countries, emissions trading is a key driver for the transfer of clean technologies and sustainable economic development.

What is a CO2 or carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint is the measure of the amount of greenhouse gases (measured in CO₂ equivalents) produced directly and indirectly by the activity of an individual, a company, an organisation or a product. It includes the emissions resulting from raw materials, production, transport, trade, use, recycling and disposal. The fundamental idea behind the CO2 or carbon footprint is, therefore, to create a basis on which influences on the climate can be measured, evaluated and compared. As a consequence, the required reduction potential can be identified, measures can be developed and their effectiveness can be evaluated.

The corporate carbon footprint is the CO2 footprint of a company, while the product carbon footprint is the CO2 footprint of a product.
 

How was the volume of CO2 emissions produced by our company calculated?

We commissioned Fokus Zukunft, an external sustainability consultancy, with the calculation of the footprint generated by our company and our products. The emissions footprint was calculated using the Corporate Standard of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. A cradle-to-gate approach was adopted as the system boundary for determining product-related emissions, whereby this takes emissions from our suppliers' upstream chain into account.

What is reported in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol?

Emissions are divided within the Greenhouse Gas Protocol into Scopes 1, 2 and 3, each of which encompasses different types of greenhouse gas emissions. Scope 1 involves direct emissions from a company’s own energy facilities. Scope 2 involves emissions that occur indirectly through the provision of energy to a company. Scope 3 emissions are further indirect emissions that are produced throughout the entire value chain.

Which greenhouse gases are included in the calculation?

The seven main greenhouse gases defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Kyoto Protocol are carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), and these are included in the calculation of greenhouse gas emissions.

What are CO2 equivalents?

The impact of each of the seven major greenhouse gases is in no way equal. For example, methane is 21 times more damaging to the climate than CO2, nitrous oxide 310 times and sulphur hexafluoride as much as 14,000 times more harmful. All greenhouse gases are therefore converted to CO2 to facilitate the comparison of emissions. These are then referred to as CO2 equivalents.

How is the recorded consumption data converted into greenhouse gas emissions?

The conversion of the recorded consumption data (e.g. electricity consumption or fuel consumption) is achieved using emission factors that indicate emissions per unit (e.g. per kilowatt hour of electricity or litre of petrol). Emission factors are obtained mainly from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and, also, from the Global Emission Model for Integrated Systems (GEMIS) database and the Ecoinvent Database, and these are updated regularly.