What is carbon footprint? Know why big campaigns are being run across the world to reduce carbon footprint.

Impact of Carbon Footprint on Climate Change : These days we are often seeing and hearing discussions about carbon footprint. Do you know about it? Carbon footprint is a concept that measures the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other greenhouse gases produced as a result of our daily activities. It is measured in tons on a per person, organization, activity or country basis. It is used to measure its impact on the environment.

Carbon footprint includes emissions from food production, electricity use and transportation, which have a profound impact on global warming and climate change. It is usually measured in “carbon dioxide equivalents” (CO₂-eq), so that different types of greenhouse gases can be represented in a single unit.

What is carbon footprint?

These days, emphasis is being laid on reducing carbon footprint and many campaigns are being run in this regard across the world. Carbon footprint is a measurement and this measurement is helpful in showing the carbon emitted by a person or a company in a year, the carbon emitted in the production process of a piece of cloth or a protein-rich food, in a year. The carbon footprint of a product covers emissions throughout its life cycle, from its manufacturing process to its end-of-life. Similarly, an organization's carbon footprint includes both its direct (such as factory gases) and indirect (such as electricity purchased for energy) emissions. In simple words, carbon footprint is an indicator of how much impact an activity or product has on the environment and by controlling it we can help control global warming.

effects of carbon footprint

Now there is an emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint across the world because carbon emissions are directly related to global warming and climate change. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases increase the earth's temperature, causing problems like abnormal changes in weather, floods, droughts.

1. Climate change : By not controlling the carbon footprint, the Earth's temperature will continue to rise, which will further accelerate global warming. This will cause polar ice to melt, sea levels will rise, and the risk of disasters like floods in coastal areas is expected to increase.
2. Impact on biodiversity : Rising temperatures may cause extinction of many species as they are unable to adjust to the rapidly changing environment. This will adversely affect the Earth's biodiversity.
3. Effects on human health : Rising temperatures and pollution levels cause health problems such as respiratory diseases, heart diseases and many heat-related diseases. According to WHO, climate change may threaten the lives of millions of people.
4. Impact on the economy : The increasing frequency and intensity of natural disasters due to climate change has a serious impact on agriculture, fisheries, tourism and other industries, which can prove detrimental to the global economy.

Efforts to reduce carbon footprint

There is an increasing emphasis on reducing the carbon footprint across the world so as to control global warming and limit the increase in average global temperature to within 1.5 degrees Celsius. Also, energy sources are being replaced by fossil fuels and renewable options like solar and wind energy are being promoted. Many campaigns and agreements are also being run in this direction across the world. Such as the Paris Agreement, which was signed in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5°C, in which various countries have promised to reduce carbon emissions. On this issue, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that if carbon emissions are not controlled in time, it may result in increased risk of natural disasters, floods, droughts, and serious damage to the ecosystem.

Major global campaigns to reduce carbon footprint

1. Paris Agreement – Under the Paris Agreement, in 2015 more than 190 countries pledged to reduce carbon emissions to control global temperature rise. In this, plans have been agreed upon by each country to control its emissions.
2. Climate Friendly Technology – Many countries and companies are emphasizing on adopting solar and wind energy, electric vehicles and energy efficiency technologies to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. For example, the European Union has set a target of “net zero” emissions by 2050, which means absorbing as much emissions as possible.
3. Green employmentR – Policies are being made to promote green jobs so that people can get employment in environment friendly work. In countries like China, Europe and America, large scale investment is being made in the field of solar energy and wind energy.
4. Carbon Trust and other institutions – These organizations provide measures to measure and reduce carbon footprints at the individual, industrial, and national levels. For this, activities like environmental labeling, carbon capture technology and re-cycling are being increased.