Abstract
Sub-national governments are increasingly interested in local-level climate change management. Carbon- (CO2 and CH4) and climate-footprints—(Kyoto Basket GHGs) (effectively single impact category LCA metrics, for global warming potential) provide an opportunity to develop models to facilitate effective mitigation. Three approaches are available for the footprinting of sub-national communities. Territorial-based approaches, which focus on production emissions within the geo-political boundaries, are useful for highlighting local emission sources but do not reflect the transboundary nature of sub-national community infrastructures. Transboundary approaches, which extend territorial footprints through the inclusion of key cross boundary flows of materials and energy, are more representative of community structures and processes but there are concerns regarding comparability between studies. The third option, consumption-based, considers global GHG emissions that result from final consumption (households, governments, and investment). Using a case study of Southampton, UK, this chapter develops the data and methods required for a sub-national territorial, transboundary, and consumption-based carbon and climate footprints. The results and implication of each footprinting perspective are discussed in the context of emerging international standards. The study clearly shows that the carbon footprint (CO2 and CH4 only) offers a low-cost, low-data, universal metric of anthropogenic GHG emission and subsequent management.
Highlights
Increasing GHG emissions have catalysed urban GHG management, with many having established sub-national and transnational climate networks, initiatives or management plans [1]
Discussions to date have primarily focused on the appropriateness of the allocation of emissions to the local level, with progress driven by improved understanding of urban metabolism—material and energy flows through the urban system (e.g. [2–6])
The Carbon Footprint (CO2 and CH4) and Climate Footprint (Kyoto Basket) metrics are compared for each method
Summary
Increasing GHG emissions have catalysed urban GHG management, with many having established sub-national and transnational climate networks, initiatives or management plans [1]. Carbon- (CO2 and CH4) and climate-footprints—(Kyoto Basket GHGs), are single impact category—global warming potential—indicators of life cycle assessment (LCA). These metrics provide an opportunity to develop effective models of GHG emissions from cities, and to facilitate effective mitigation. The frameworks required to calculate a carbon or climate footprint provide a framework for the application of a more holistic LCA to cities or other geographic areas. New Frontiers on Life Cycle Assessment - Theory and Application. Approaches can be categorised as process-led bottom-up approaches, topdown economic led analysis, or top-down “natural laboratory” approaches relying on atmospheric measurement and concentration [7]
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