How to measure your company’s GHG emissions with ECOVISEA

While renewable energy continues to gain traction, fossil fuels remain the primary energy source for many businesses and industries. These ‘polluter’ industries, like manufacturing and transportation, are contributing to tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, harming the planet and its climate yearly.

A company’s GHG emissions encompass the collective gases it releases into the atmosphere through its day-to-day operations, which include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and fluorinated gasses – all have a profound impact on the ozone layer’s depletion and planet’s climate.

Every company plays a role. Even if you thought your business operation did not contribute much to this global predicament, you might have miscalculated.

Limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5°C requires a drastic cut in emissions: 45% by 2030 and net zero by 2050. Southeast Asia, in particular, is highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, thus making this goal imperative for the region’s sustainable and economic development.

Calculating your GHG emissions 

There are several steps companies can take to reduce their carbon footprint and GHG emissions, but taking a big step might be intimidating and inefficient for a starter. You can start small by calculating your corporate carbon footprint (total GHG emissions caused) using a GHG calculator to know how much they contribute to the issue and ultimately plan the next action more efficiently.

Today, you can come across various GHG calculator platforms. However, not all tools are free or easy to grasp, especially if you are new to emissions calculations. That’s where ECOVISEA comes in handy.

ECOVISEA, which stands for Emission Calculator & Visualization Southeast Asia, is a free web-based GHG calculator that helps companies calculate and measure their environmental impact. This platform was recently launched by East Ventures and The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin Indonesia) in collaboration with WRI Indonesia to help companies accurately measure, manage, and reduce their emissions, facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Besides being free and user-friendly, here are several reasons why you should consider using ECOVISEA to calculate your company’s emissions: 

• Inclusive: Designed for all business sectors across all regions, regardless of size or experience. No complicated processes or data analysis is required.
• Seamless and digital: Ditch spreadsheets and manual entry. ECOVISEA streamlines data input and provides visual representations of your emissions sources.
• Globally recognized: Complies with GHG Protocol, dan ISO 14064, ECOVISEA ensures accurate and reliable calculations on corporate emissions across all three scopes.
• Comprehensive dataset: Supported by more than 1,000 emission factor databases, allowing you to calculate your GHG emissions from various business activities. Our emission factor databases are generated from standard publications by various organizations or government agencies at international and local levels, such as Indonesia.

How do companies measure their GHG emissions?

Before you begin calculating your GHG emissions, there are a few things you should know. 

The formula to calculate the carbon footprint of a business is as follows: multiply the activity (or consumption) data by its corresponding emission factor – pollution ‘price tag’ for activities to show how much they release. Based on this formula, there are several methodologies to calculate the carbon footprint, i.e., UNE-ISO 14064, GHG Protocol, etc.

Following the formula above, ECOVISEA will require you to input the consumption data that is divided into three scopes, including:

1. Scope 1: the direct GHG emissions controlled by a company. For example: fuel consumption (coal, diesel, etc), type of refrigerant (CFC, HFC, etc), and amount of consumption or use. 
2. Scope 2: the indirect emissions associated with the energy consumption acquired and consumed by the company. For example: electricity consumption (grid location and amount of consumption).
3. Scope 3: GHG emissions that a company can influence but does not control. For example: purchased goods & services and capital goods (category of purchased goods and cost of procurement).

For example, company A notes (1) 100 L of diesel from office car usage and (2) 300 tons of coal from combustion furnace. Diesel has direct emissions (emission factor) of 2.56 kgCO2e/L (scope 1). Therefore, the calculation for office car emissions is 100 x 2.56 = 256 kgCO2e. Meanwhile, coal has different emission factors – all listed in ECOVISEA – hence, the results will differ from diesel emissions.

Companies can head to ecovisea.com to register their accounts and start calculating. Our verification process is quick and painless, leading you seamlessly to a secure dashboard where you can easily upload your data through simple, step-by-step instructions. 

Once your data is uploaded, you will have immediate access to the results presented in clear data sets and visual representations. This transparency empowers you to understand your environmental impact and identify areas for improvement. You can edit and save your data at any point, offering more versatility for your company lest there be any changes.

Click the video below to watch a simple tutorial.

Start your carbon emission reduction journey with ECOVISEA today for a brighter, more sustainable future.

For more information, please visit ecovisea.com.