A Service Sector Guide to Greenhouse Gas Management
Washington DC, USA - Service sector companies can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and become more competitive by taking measures to improve energy efficiency in their office buildings. This is the conclusion of a new report by the World Resources Institute, entitled Hot Climate, Cool Commerce: A Service Sector Guide to Greenhouse Gas Management.
Opening with a brief overview of climate change causes and anticipated effects, the report outlines the connection between climate change and the service sector, noting the huge impacts services have on global transportation, building, land and energy use.
The report outlines potential economic threats to the service sector from climate change. These include massive impacts on the insurance industry from extreme weather events, losses in the tourism industry, and a potential drop in real estate values.
The ‘business case’ for GHG management is also presented. Reducing emissions can become a strong brand management issue, as climate change has the potential to become a mainstream consumer issue. Operational efficiencies and energy savings from emission reduction can impact immediately on the bottom line, and increased value for low-carbon products are among other tangible financial results listed.
In developing the business case, the report attempts to address a number of key questions each company must ask while developing a climate change strategy: Why should the company undertake this activity? What are the risks of undertaking or not undertaking it? What will the return investment be? What are the short and long-term benefits for the company? How shareholders and stakeholders react?
A step-by-step manual is provided for service sector companies to develop a company response to climate change. This includes assigning resources and designing a GHG inventory, collecting data and calculating emissions, setting a target, reducing emissions and reporting on progress.
This guide should be useful to large and small businesses to provide answers to questions on climate change and insight on the positive business impacts that can result from having a proactive climate strategy.
To download the entire report please, Click Here.
Opening with a brief overview of climate change causes and anticipated effects, the report outlines the connection between climate change and the service sector, noting the huge impacts services have on global transportation, building, land and energy use.
The report outlines potential economic threats to the service sector from climate change. These include massive impacts on the insurance industry from extreme weather events, losses in the tourism industry, and a potential drop in real estate values.
The ‘business case’ for GHG management is also presented. Reducing emissions can become a strong brand management issue, as climate change has the potential to become a mainstream consumer issue. Operational efficiencies and energy savings from emission reduction can impact immediately on the bottom line, and increased value for low-carbon products are among other tangible financial results listed.
In developing the business case, the report attempts to address a number of key questions each company must ask while developing a climate change strategy: Why should the company undertake this activity? What are the risks of undertaking or not undertaking it? What will the return investment be? What are the short and long-term benefits for the company? How shareholders and stakeholders react?
A step-by-step manual is provided for service sector companies to develop a company response to climate change. This includes assigning resources and designing a GHG inventory, collecting data and calculating emissions, setting a target, reducing emissions and reporting on progress.
This guide should be useful to large and small businesses to provide answers to questions on climate change and insight on the positive business impacts that can result from having a proactive climate strategy.
To download the entire report please, Click Here.
You can return to the main Market News page, or press the Back button on your browser.
