Adopting energy efficiency measures and switching to
renewable energy are imperative components of the
solution to reducing global carbon emissions.
struggles with water resources,
public health implications from the
resurgence of diseases, heat stress,
and threats to marine biodiversity.
While Singapore accounts for less
than 0.2 percent of global greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions, it’s per-capita
emissions are similar to other
industrialised nations. The island
nation’s key strategy for reducing its
carbon footprint is to improve energy
efficiency in all sectors, namely
transport, households, industry and
buildings. Buildings, in particular,
contribute to approximately 16 percent
of Singapore’s national GHG emissions.
This is where corporate organisa-
tions are stepping in to reduce their
carbon footprint.
Adopting energy efficiency mea-
sures and switching to renewable
energy are imperative components
of the solution to reducing global
carbon emissions. Still, in the course
of making buildings more energy
efficient and driving or flying less
often, it is nearly impossible to bring
this number down to zero.
Carbon neutrality requires that we
offset unavoidable emissions. One
way to do this is by paying for GHG
reductions to be made elsewhere,
such as via tree planting, wind farms
and hydroelectricity. The idea is that
once enough offsets are purchased
to balance all emissions remaining
after reduction efforts, then the net
emissions will be zero.belowVadodara, India:
The Muni Seva Ashram
in Goraj, near Vadodara,
India, is a tranquil haven
of humanitarian care. The
Ashram has implemented
various sustainability
policies: next year, it will be
completely carbon neutralPHOTO ASHLEY COOPER/CORBISCarbon offsetting is fundamentally
a market-based mechanism and is
typically transacted in metric tonnes
of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO e).
Purchasing one tonne of carbon offset
means there will be one tonne less
of carbon dioxide (or an equivalent
GHG) in the atmosphere than there
would otherwise have been. Offset
buyers can choose to support carbon-
offset schemes that possess an