Carbon Footprinting: effectively reducing CO2
Much has been done to combat climate change. Urgent action is required. Given this urgency, the European Climate Agreement legally requires companies to demonstrably reduce their emissions by 55% below 1990 levels by 2030. The ultimate goal: reduce net emissions to zero. Carbon footprinting, CO2 mapping and assignment to activities, is indispensable for effective reduction measures. This includes logistics.
This website provides insight into the internationally used calculation method. There are also practical manuals available to apply carbon footprinting within a company correctly and in a verified manner.
Commercial Benefits of Carbon Footprinting
Obvious benefits: Carbon Footprinting is an investment. An investment that will pay off financially. A detailed understanding of shipment level emissions shows the peaks in fuel consumption. These are the highest costs. By focusing on these improvement opportunities, you will reduce expenses as well as improve your business results.
Getting started – Tools and solutions
CO2 reporting software
To calculate your CO2 emissions, you can purchase a software package or develop one yourself. Here you will find the various packages as well as guides to get started on your own.
Step-by-step plan for CO2 reporting
Your report must meet the requirements of customers, financiers, and yourself. The step-by-step plan from Topsector Logistiek explains how to get started with CO2 reporting, so that you can measure correctly and immediately begin improving your operations.
ISO 14083-verification
This international standard for carbon footprinting in logistics describes what companies must do, but not how. Topsector Logistiek has delivered various tools to develop software and processes in accordance with this standard. This way, you will be ready for external verification.
(Opens in a new window)
Uniform core dataset
For carbon footprinting, you use information from various IT systems, such as TMS and FMS. To collect and analyse data quickly and cost-effectively, a uniform core dataset with data definitions for carbon footprinting has been established. Here you will find practical guidance for implementation.
(Opens in a new window)
Sharing data
To obtain a complete report or improve your efficiency, you need to exchange information — for example with charterers, freight forwarders, or receivers. With the Basic Data Infrastructure (BDI), you can share data in a safe and reliable way, while it remains stored at the source.
(Opens in a new window)
Transport Performance Database
CO2 reports are most reliable when based on self-measured data. Because it is not always possible to measure data yourself or receive measured data from chain partners, Topsector Logistiek has developed reliable benchmarks.
Guidelines
To assist both logistics companies and software companies with detailed choices when implementing the ISO 14083 standard, application guidelines have been developed — for example, covering specific choices for modalities, load carriers, or packaging.
Carbon Masters
Learn how to calculate and allocate CO2 in a playful way — by playing the game Carbon Masters. Simply install the app, register for free, and get started right away.
(Opens in a new window)
Reporting in accordance with EU legislation
To report and demonstrably reduce the CO2 emissions of companies within transport and logistics, three things are important. The shared information must be comparable and reliable, and companies must be able to calculate it simply and quickly. Based on these principles, the CountEmissionsEU legislation was developed, which uses the ISO 14083 standard as its carbon footprinting methodology. But how do you apply this standard within software or a company?
About Topsector Logistiek
Together with companies, governments and research institutions, the Topsector Logistics is working toward the 2050 ambition: a competitive and emission-free logistics sector in the Netherlands. To achieve this ambition, Topsector Logistics has actively contributed to the realization of the ISO standard 14083, the Transport Performance Database and supporting companies to make Carbon Footprinting part of their business operations. All developed guidelines and products were extensively tested in daily practice and are available to companies in the Netherlands and the EU.
