Using a carbon roadmap to set targets

A company should have completed an inventory of its carbon footprint, using Science Based Target Initiative (SBTI) methodologies, by the end of 2025.
Based on guidelines established by the United Nations Paris Accord Agreement, also reflected in commitments made by the Canadian government, emissions should be reduced in 2030 by 45% relative to levels existing in 2010.

A carbon roadmap is a strategic plan designed to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change impacts. It outlines the steps and milestones necessary for an organization, community, or country to achieve its carbon reduction targets over time. This typically involves:

  1. Assessment: Evaluating current carbon emissions, identifying major sources, and understanding the baseline.
  2. Goals: Setting specific, measurable targets for reducing emissions, often in line with broader climate agreements or policies.
  3. Strategies: Developing a range of actions and initiatives to achieve these targets. This could include adopting new technologies, improving energy efficiency, shifting to renewable energy sources, or enhancing carbon offset programs.
  4. Implementation: Outlining how these strategies will be put into practice, including timelines, responsibilities, and resource allocation.
  5. Monitoring and Reporting: Establishing mechanisms to track progress, measure success, and adjust the plan as needed based on performance and new developments.

The roadmap serves as a guide to ensure that efforts are systematic, measurable, and aligned with overarching environmental and sustainability goals.

Sources of C02 and options to reduce emissions

Reduction of C02 emissions can come with the incremental benefit of reduced operating costs. Many
large natural gas providers have programs that have incentives that include cost abatements for
undertaking investments to reduce gas consumption (such as insulation initiatives) but also free
evaluation services to ensure your heating assets are operating in an optimized manner. Adherence
to scheduled maintenance of fuel-based assets can also contribute to optimal efficiency.

Category Source Uses Means to address CAPEX/OPEX options Feasibility of replacement
Scope 1
  • Natural gas
  • Motive fuel
  • Propane
  • Heaters, boilers
  • On-site vehicles
  • Forklifts
  • Replacement of assets
  • Operational efficiencies
  • Proper maintenance
  • Equipment to automate heating operations
  • Replace gas heaters with electric heat sources
  • EV vehicles
  • Control automation for heaters and boilers is available now with incentives.
  • Electric heat sources with the capacity to provide heating up to 600 degrees C are available but may require substantial cost to integrate within existing infrastructure.
  • EV vehicles are mainstream but typically will require incentives to make economically attractive
Scope 2
  • Electricity
  • Lighting
  • Pumps, motors and machinery
  • Computers and other office equipment
  • Timers and sensors
  • LED lighting
  • Operational efficiencies
  • Auto shut off devices
  • LED lights
  • Circuit monitoring software to identify load usages
  • Auto shut off devices and LED lighting are readibky available. Local power providers may offer funding programs
  • Circuit monitoring programs have an installed price that might exceed $25,000, but the data provided might provide a reasonable ROI if operations can be modified accordingly. The existence of funding programs can help the ROI model.
Scope 3
  • Purchase of products/services
  • Movement of products
  • Waste generated
  • Employee travel
  • Creation of company goods and services
  • Transport of products in and out
  • Waste created in company activities
  • Movement of employees to meet customers, suppliers and work with colleagues
  • Identify suppliers with congruent sustainability goals
  • Optimize trade patterns and reduce duplication of logistics movements
  • Address the design process of goods to reduce waste created. Digitize records.
  • Utilize virtual meetings to the extent practical. Increase use of public transit where possible
  • Partner with major suppliers to co-develop C02 reduction strategies
  • Investigate Logistics software that incorporates scheduling and Telematics capabilities
  • Investigate Gen AI solutions for product design
  • Create regional meeting spaces centered around transit hubs
  • Obtaining meaningful C02 data from suppliers remains in the early stages. Many aren't in the position to provide it and for those that do, the source of such information may be industry average values, which will have limited real value for your organization
  • Optimizing logistics routes can be managed from an examination of company data and locating duplicate movements (i.e. between facilities) and non-optimized use of alternative freight modes
  • Digitize records across the organization, which can have a dual effect of eliminating storage and eventual destruction of paper records but also reduce the number of touch points for each document
  • Use of virtual meetings and mass transit (planes, trains) in place of individual travel (cars)