Sustainability, the new objective of the maritime sector with a view to reducing the ecological footprint and greenhouse gas emissions, for this, it is notorious that the collaboration of all companies in this commercial area is needed and in the same way, it implies the development of international standards that mark the regulations for compliance with them.
Decarbonization refers to the process of reducing or eliminating emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases generated by human activities, especially those related to the burning of fossil fuels.
This process involves transformations in various sectors, such as energy, transport, industry and agriculture, promoting the use of clean energy and the development of technologies that capture or reduce carbon emissions.
Current global emissions
It is currently estimated that maritime operations represent between 2% and 4% of the emission of these pollutants, which in a period of 10 years, maritime operations could represent between 20% and 40% of total global emissions of polluting gases, estimating that annual emissions will remain constant in that range.
ISO 14064:2018
For this decarbonization process to become a reality, it establishes that each organization must calculate its carbon footprint through the following system:
- Define the scope: Direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions from energy consumption (Scope 2) and, optionally, other indirect emissions (Scope 3) are identified.
- Quantify emissions: Data on emitting activities (such as fuel and electricity use) are collected and emission factors are applied to convert them into greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- Select GHGs: The six gases regulated by the Kyoto Protocol are counted, expressed in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) using their Global Warming Potential (GWP).
- Consolidate emissions: The emissions of each GHG are added together to obtain the total carbon footprint in tCO₂e.
- Verification and reporting: Third-party verification and transparent reporting of the data and methodologies used is recommended.
This process helps to measure, manage and reduce GHG emissions effectively and will greatly help companies in the maritime sector to reduce the impact on the environment and continue their operations much more efficiently.
Source:
T21. (2023, 10 de octubre). El sector marítimo da pasos firmes hacia la descarbonización. T21. https://t21.com.mx/sector-maritimo-da-pasos-firmes-hacia-la-descarbonizacion/
