WRI Publications Feed: Learning and leading by doing: Expanding the impact of WRI's CO2 Reduction Commitment

WRI's Annual Carbon Dioxide Inventory Report

admin — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:00:00 -0500

This report presents WRI’s CO2 inventory for calendar years 2006 and 2007. It details emission sources included and excluded from the inventory, describes how emissions data were collected and calculated, summarizes how emissions have changed over time, and describes WRI’s GHG management activities.

WRI’s total emissions were 1,125 metric tons of CO2 in 2006 and 1,288 metric tons of CO2 in 2007. This represents an approximately 6% and 21% increase above our 2000 base year emissions, respectively. WRI has committed to offset its emissions to achieve its goal of a “net zero” emissions balance every year. For 2006, WRI procured offset credits through the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), a voluntary, U.S.-based emissions trading program. For 2007, WRI purchased credits compliant under the Clean Development Mechanism of the Kyoto Protocol, known as certified emission reductions (CERs). These credits were sourced from a landfill gas to energy project in China and a renewable (wind) energy project in India. In 2009, WRI intends to release a review document that describes the Institute’s recent decision-making process regarding offsets and its experiences with purchasing CERs.

Finally, this report highlights two important greenhouse gas management activities that took place during 2006-2007:

LEED Gold Certification of WRI’s office expansion space which includes a rating for energy efficiency; and
The design of a new green roof project for WRI’s office building that will help increase building insulation.

WRI’s CO2 Emissions: 2000-2007

Metric Tons CO₂	2000*	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
Scope 2
Electricity	431	503	535	459	461	423	431	479
Scope 3
Air travel	535	598	529	497	589	571	577	697
Employee commuting	98	104	94	121	96	90	117	112
Total Emissions	1,064	1,205	1,158	1,077	1,146	1,084	1,125	1,288

* Base Year: 2000

Switching to Green: A renewable energy guide for office and retail companies

admin — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Switching to Green: A Renewable Energy Guide for Office and Retail companies is a practical resource for companies that want to “green” their energy supply but don’t know how. More than 70 percent of electricity in the United States is generated using fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. The environmental impacts from this generation are considerable, ranging from air and carbon pollution to the myriad consequences of mining and drilling for fuel. Obtaining energy from clean, renewable resources-“green power”-can provide both environmental and economic value, and a growing number of American companies are making the switch.

Although many types of green power are not difficult to procure, the overwhelming amount of information available can make this confusing to do, especially for newcomers. Accordingly, Switching to Green was designed to cut through the clutter and provide the essential information for companies wanting to “green” their energy supply. It is intended specifically for office- and retail-based companies and organizations. Examples include financial institutions; real estate, retail, law, and publishing firms; universities; and nonprofit organizations. The readers of this guide do not need an energy background to understand the information provided.

Switching to Green draws heavily on the lessons and publications of the Green Power Market Development Group (http://www.thegreenpowergroup.org/).

Hot Climate, Cool Commerce: A Service Sector Guide to Greenhouse Gas Management

admin — Tue, 02 May 2006 00:00:00 -0400

Climate change is a global challenge with serious consequences for our social and economic infrastructure as well as the natural environment. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that cause climate change are emitted mainly from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Because heavy industry is a leading source of GHG emissions, most of the business-focused programs responding to the problem emphasize participation by “emitters”, manufacturers and utilities. Action by industry alone, however, is not enough. Long-term solutions require emission reduction efforts by the entire economy, and this publication addresses service-sector companies such as banks, law firms, retailers, and real estate managers. Even though they are not considered large emitters, these companies do emit GHGs and can help mitigate climate change through changes in their energy use and the products and services they offer.

Service-sector companies contribute to climate change through their electricity use, heating, cooling and travel. They have an opportunity to influence their operations, supply chains, customers, employees and other stakeholders to help change those behaviours necessary to curb the most dangerous effects of climate change. This guide provides a brief overview of climate change science and expected impacts, the connection between climate change and the service sector and discusses the business case for action. This is followed by the core of the guide which is a practical, step-by-step manual for service-sector businesses ready to begin responding to climate change.

Working 9 to 5 on climate change: An office guide

admin — Sun, 01 Dec 2002 00:00:00 -0500

Working 9 to 5 on climate change: An office guide is based on the experiences of the World Resources Institute with its CO2 reduction commitment and will help other office-based organizations understand climate change and the practical steps they can take to measure and reduce their CO2 emissions. Readers of Working 9 to 5 on climate change will discover tips on how to gain organizational support for a climate commitment, find out the information they need to calculate their CO2 emissions and set a reduction target, and receive suggestions on how to reach it.

Four simple calculation tools also accompany Working 9 to 5 on climate change that can be customized to the needs of individual offices. Each tool contains simple instructions and examples to facilitate understanding of the tool. Using data input by the user, the tools calculate the following:

CO2 emissions from fuel used for heating and transportation (direct_emissions.xls)
CO2 emissions from purchased electricity (indirect_emissions.xls)
CO2 emissions from business travel by air, train, bus and car (business_travel_emissions.xls)
CO2 emissions from employee commuting (commuting_emissions.xls)

The Guide is written for non-technical staff at small and medium-sized office-based organizations. It provides an introduction to climate change and step-by-step guidance on how to calculate, manage and reduce an organization’s CO2 emissions. While based on WRI’s own experience in its CO2 reduction commitment, it also draws on and is consistent with WRI’s GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.

Your feedback is valuable. We’d like to know who uses Working 9 to 5 on climate change and how we can improve it. Send your comments, questions, ideas and experiences to info@safeclimate.net.

WRI's Commitment to reduce its C02 net emissions to zero by 2005

admin — Mon, 01 Oct 2001 00:00:00 -0400

Although we do not have smokestacks or large industrial machinery, our office electrical use, travel, commuting, paper use, and other activities, all lead to emissions of CO2, the primary agent of human-induced climate change.

By going to zero net emissions, we hope to demonstrate that significant and early action on climate change is technically and economically feasible. To help ourselves and others track our progress, we will annually measure and publicly report our emissions, starting in October 2000.

This brochure outlines steps WRI is taking to reduce emissions and answers questions like:

What about natural gas consumption in your building? Does your building use natural gas or oil? Is your office space individually metered so that you can track your own energy usage?

How about transportation to work? Does WRI offer free parking? How many people drive gasoline-powered cars to work? How many carpool? Are you going to have a “Bicycle or AFV only” policy for your parking spaces?

Are you counting employee use of energy in their homes for this effort?

Are you going to lobby the District of Columbia government to establish electric competition? Maryland and Virginia have already taken steps to allow choice.

Are you going to stop making paper publications? Will you allow readers to download or print off your web site, or have a “read only” policy to save paper?

Are you only going to buy from suppliers that are involved in Energy Star programs?

Will WRI engage in carbon sequestration activities like planting trees?