Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 14
Voluntary Emissions Reduction:
Are We Making Progress?
Robert Bailis
Yale University, USA
Neda Arabshahi
Yale University, USA
ABSTRACT
While binding regulations on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have yet to be introduced outside of a
limited number of high-emitting sectors in the EU, several organizations have set up voluntary GHG
programs that promote firm-level inventories and/or emission reductions. Many argue that these programs
are not forceful or rigorous enough to result in real emissions reductions and may simply encourage
“greenwashing.” In 2007, the United Nations Global Compact initiated the voluntary Caring for Climate
(C4C) platform for businesses wishing to demonstrate climate leadership. To assess how voluntary emis-
sions reduction programs have performed, this study examines the progress that C4C signatories have
made. The results show widely dispersed GHG quantities and a range of reduction plans. Due to the
lack of uniform, comparable data, the authors call for standardized, clearly defined carbon accounting
guidelines as the first step towards effective corporate GHG management.
INTRODUCTION
reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Business
leaders commit to:
Worldwide, 371 companies endorse Caring for
Climate (C4C), a business leadership platform
started by and operating under the United Na-
tions Global Compact. By pledging support for
C4C, these companies have voluntarily pledged to
taking practical actions now to increase the
efficiency of energy usage and to reduce the
carbon burden of [their] products, services and
processes, to set voluntary targets for doing so,
and to report publicly on the achievement of those
