The Catalan Institute of Cork Foundation has renewed its presence at the Program of Voluntary Agreements for the reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions 2015 driven by theCatalan Climate Change Office (OCCC).

The OCCC has been working since last year to equate the Voluntary Agreements Program seal to the guidelines of ISO 14064. What is new this year is that the platform for entering the data has been modified and has adapted the renewal criteria to ISO 14064 – verification and accounting of Greenhouse Gases, which is a standard of great guidelines. Among the main requirements it incorporates, the category of indirect GHG emissions stands out, which are those generated as a result of the organization's activity but which are attributed to fixed or mobile sources that do not belong to the organization itself organization or are not controlled by it. An example is the emissions generated as a result of the manufacture and transport of the materials purchased by the organization.

The ICSuro Foundation counts these indirect emissions from the 2019 inventory. Their registration is currently recommended and is expected to be mandatory from the next inventory.

The Catalan cork sector and the carbon footprint

The participation of the Institut Català del Suro Foundation in the Voluntary Agreements initiative is the result of the sector's genuine interest in demonstrating its negative carbon footprint. Studies led by the Institut Català del Suro in 2011 already showed that the Catalan cork sector retains more CO2 through the fixation of carbon dioxide from the corks than it generates in its cork stopper production activities . Therefore, it is a sector that contributes to the mitigation of climate change by reducing the presence of GHGs in the atmosphere.

Inventory 2020

In 2020, ICSuro's electricity consumption has decreased due to the reduction in activity due to the health situation that has been experienced. This decline, however, is not reflected in the inventory, since the marketer is of renewable energy.

Emissions from own transport have dropped by 14% as a result of the forced confinement during the pandemic, as well as indirect emissions derived from waste treatment and water consumption.

The transport on tour it represents 55% of the total emissions generated by the entity. Thanks to the identification and quantification of indirect emissions, it has been seen that it is a significant emission and we will try to work to reduce it by considering the possibility of teleworking in cases where it is possible and prioritizing online meetings.

Overall, the GHG emissions of the ICSuro Foundation have remained constant between 2019 and 2020.

Accounting

The inventory includes the direct emissions derived from own transport (tourists, gasoline and diesel) and the indirect emissions derived from electricity consumption, which comes from 100% renewable sources. It also includes other indirect emissions from the external transport of commercial travel by road, train and plane; the external transport in itinere; the treatment of waste (glass containers, light containers, paper/cardboard and residual fraction) and the emissions derived from water consumption.

You can consult the annual report of the Institut Català del Suro Foundation here: file:///C:/Users/Usuari/Downloads/informeAnual.pdf

(PHOTO: Vertical facade of Cáceres, GO UP)