henk van rikxoort - product carbon accounting market assessment
TRANSCRIPT
Product Carbon Accounting
Market Assessment
Joint GTZ/ISEAL Workshop
Bonn, Germany – 27 October 2010
Henk van Rikxoort
2 Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment
Background
Market Status
Example: Unilever
Example: Tesco
Ongoing Discussion
Conclusions
AGENDA
BACKGROUND
3
Collaboration of ISEAL & GTZ on CC mitigation
Ecofys commissioned to map Climate Assurance Systems
Results refined by ISEAL & GTZ in report: “Accounting for
Carbon: Mapping the Landscape of Climate Assurance
Systems”.
Additional research needed to assess the status of
Product Carbon Accounting in the market
Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment
MARKET STATUS
Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment4
9 Brands and 10 Retailers examined:
Assessed:
Commitment to reduce GHG emissions
Status on product carbon accounting
Level of supplier cooperation/requirements
Level of consumer communication
Status:
PCF mostly in test-phase
Used for internal knowledge building
LCA (ISO 14044) and PAS 2050
predominant methodologies
Brands
Retailers
EXAMPLE: UNILEVER
Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment5
Works with LCA (ISO 14044)
Database with 1500 products examined
Data is used to prioritise the GHG
reduction categories of focus
Developed a set of “Good Practices” for
low GHG tea production
“We found that that the differences
between products in the same
category are very small.”
“We are afraid for a carbon
tax on products.”
“At an average
Unilever product
most reduction
can be achieved
in the use stage”
EXAMPLE: TESCO
Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment6
Started in 2007 with CFP among
selected own-brand products
Since this pilot work 500 CFP of own-
brand products calculatated
Works with suppliers to identify
emissions hotspots and eliminate them
throughout the supply chain
“We found that aerosol
deodorants tend to have higher
carbon footprints than roll-ons.”
“Recycled toilet paper has a
footprint a third lower than the
standard product.”
ONGOING DISCUSSION
Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment7
“Reference to a CO2 quantity
remains incomprehensible to the
vast majority of consumers.”
“Half of all respondents
understood what a carbon
footprint was, nearly as many
would seek products with
lower footprints.”
“PCF only focuses on a single
environmental aspect – emissions
of GHG’s.”
Credibility:
Labels:
“Lack of harmonised
methodologies and
methodological
constraints exist.” “Lack of product
specific rules
(PCRs).”
CONCLUSIONS
Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment8
Product carbon accounting common practice
Results used to work on effective GHG reductions
together with suppliers
Ongoing discussion prevents breakthrough of carbon
labels on products
Demonstration and quantification of GHG reductions
embedded in standard systems perceived as important by
Brands and Retailers
9 Product Carbon Accounting - Market Assessment
gtzHenk van RikxoortConsultant – Agriculture and Climate Change
WageningenThe Netherlands
Mobile Europe +31618187108E-mail [email protected]