Greenhouse gas emissions: reduction issues and accounting methods

Today's global economy is largely based on the use of non-renewable fossil fuels. These resources, such as oil, natural gas and coal, are used extensively in a variety of sectors, including energy, transport and chemicals. These uses result, at the end of the cycle, in the production of a gas, carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ), the main greenhouse gas (GHG) of anthropogenic origin. Excess greenhouse gas emissions attributed to human activity are altering a natural balance and are one of the main causes favoring climate change.

In turn, climate change is having a variety of long-term effects on human activity, which is having to adapt.

Directly, climate change or "unusual" severe weather events will play a key role in sectors undergoing change, such as agriculture, tourism, insurance...

Indirectly, in order to protect against and limit the impact of climate change, regulations are being developed and taxes introduced... And with the depletion of fossil fuels, strategic business sectors such as energy, transport and purchasing are being impacted...

In this context, quantifying and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a real challenge for sustainable development and a first step towards adaptation. In the long term, this becomes a strategic element in ensuring the long-term viability of a structure or activity (knowledge of high-risk emission sources, disengagement from the use of fossil fuels, limiting the impact of environmental taxes, competitive positioning, meeting customer demand, etc.).

In order to choose the most appropriate carbon accounting method from among the dozens available on the market, it is necessary to clearly define one's own objectives and needs in advance.

Once chosen, the GHG accounting approach must be accompanied by a sound knowledge of the basic principles of emission inventories (accounting methods, choice of perimeters, databases, errors to be avoided, etc.).