Environment

 Global travel market is considered one of the market leaders in the delivery of online travel information and air travel purchasing options. We understand that travel has a detrimental impact on the Malaysian environment, and we want to help generate more awareness and education in this area.

 The benefit of air travel extends across the globe; approximately 8% of the world’s GDP is supported by air usage. However, as air travel increases the carbon emissions problem facing the world cannot be ignored. We provide you with the carbon emissions value of your flights which will enable you to take positive action, and further develop your understanding of how air travel affects the Malaysian environment.

 

Carbon emissions will not be reduced by grounding every plane to Malaysia. However, overall emissions will be reduced if each individual improves their behaviour by making minor lifestyle changes. We aim to provide users with high quality information, and a balanced perspective with regards to the environmental issues facing Malaysia. We have designed our travellers’ carbon guidance notes to promote more sustainable travel practices and to help highlight things you can do when making your journey to Malaysia in order to reduce emissions and support the environment.

Our main aim is to increase traveller awareness, help stimulate behavioural change with regards to carbon emissions, and list alternative ways in which you can take action. In order to tackle climate change you need to know the facts, so we provide you with the education and information required.

There are several ways we can offset the emissions generated by travelling to Malaysia. For example, we can purchase carbon saving products, or reduce car use, or home energy usage. Air travel, along with various other activities generates carbon emissions, and we hold the key to a lower carbon world by carefully managing our own personal carbon footprints.

 

The Carbon Consultancy is our carbon partner. You can calculate your air travel emissions by using the advanced calculators they have developed, and balance these carbon emissions with products they offer. The company provide a range of very helpful FAQs and information on their carbon responsible platform, but they are pleased to answer questions by email if you can’t find an answer on their website.

The impact of carbon emissions on the Malaysian environment can be reduced by carbon offsets, but climate change will not be averted without reductions in emissions. To help you asses how offsets work here is our comprehensive offset overview.

The process of carbon offset involves balancing a product that saves or stores a defined unit of carbon dioxide with an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide emissions. The delivery of the storage or saving of carbon dioxide by the offset process will vary. This overview provides potential users of offset with the facts they need when trying to purchase a product that will meet all their requirements effectively.

Carbon dioxide emissions and the carbon content of fuel types are directly related, and this relationship has been accurately assessed in laboratory conditions. Any activity that involves fossil fuel combustion and creates emissions will be determined by any blending of performance enhancing ingredients with fossil fuels. In crude terms, the per passenger calculations for carbon dioxide depend mainly on the number of people using the fuel as energy for travel. This may be direct usage as a traveller or indirect as a consumer of imported goods and services. It will also depend on the conditions of use and the method of combustion. The quantity of carbon dioxide that forms the basis of any offset will be determined from the calculation. As an emission calculation becomes more detailed the chance that it actually matches an offset enquiry increases.

The role of offset in climate change prevention as an independent activity is not to reverse it, rather to retard it. Retarding the pace of climate change will allow technology, legislation and behavioural change more time to begin to reduce overall emissions. This should lead to the arrest of climate change. It is vital that overall emissions are reduced, as this will address the rapidly increasing carbon content of the atmosphere. In general saving emissions where possible and offsetting those that cannot be saved is the most common approach by organisations and individuals. Currently offsets are being included in integrated carbon strategies but are then also being used to demonstrate the environmental credentials of organisations. It is difficult to distinguish between the available offset options, irrespective of an organisations motive for using them. When purchasing an offset, they must carefully consider a range of factors.

 

Purchasable offsets are provided by calculating the carbon tonnage of emissions and savings. This is known as the process of becoming carbon neutral.

A purchaser cannot achieve carbon neutrality by purchasing an offset immediately; savings are gradual and achieved over a period of time. The more correct corporate message of carbon responsibility is promoted by the carbon consultancy for this reason.

 

An offset project must be originated for the purposes of creating additional carbon storage or saving, in order to have a balancing value. Usual business activity that creates storage or saving of emissions which are sold retrospectively cannot be included. This means that existing savings being created by a project that would have been created by an individual or organization in the course of their every day activities cannot be sold retrospectively as an offset. Offset project funding must be channelled into additional/new projects that help to store or save carbon dioxide. Activity must be demonstrated as an additional carbon benefit by project creators. Products provided by the Carbon Consultancy are all additional.

 

Double counting of saving can be avoided if offset values are always calculated and apportioned in a precise manner. When carbon savings are present in a supply chain and more than one component part of the supply chain claims these savings double counting may occur. When a specific company creates renewable energy projects to save carbon emissions, the carbon value of the renewable energy cannot be included in its own footprint and then sold on as a product or service benefit and claimed in the personal footprints consumers. The company can either retain the savings or pass them on to its consumers.

 

In many cases the use of developing world offset products can involve paying developing world residents to emit less whilst the offset purchaser in the developing world continues to emit at the same pace. This will not prevent climate change and involves an ethical and moral dilemma. The Carbon Consultancy uses predominantly UK products as we believe that behavioural change in the UK is key to emissions reductions and UK offsets can help to deliver that change. UK residents emit nearly 10 tons of CO2 each year in comparison to 1 ton or less per head in many Asian & African countries.

When developing world offset products are used purchasers in the developing world create emissions continuously while residents are often paid to reduce their emissions. This presents an ethical and moral dilemma, and will not prevent climate change. The UK is the main provider of products used by The Carbon Consultancy. The company believe change in the behaviour of UK residents will lead to major reductions in emissions, which can be achieved through UK offsets. Approximately 10 tonnes of CO2 is emitted by a UK resident each year, whereas each resident emits up to 1 ton in many countries across Asia and Africa.

Ranging from poorly defined up to well audited emissions saving/storage, these offsets vary. Where high levels of regulation exist in the market, VER’s are certified offsets in waiting. Where there is least regulation they are considered theatrical; they have been designed to offset emissions but fail to do this. There are several distinct project types within the VER market.

Trees: Woodland processes and stores carbon dioxide, making it one of the natural carbon sinks provided by the earth. Natural carbon reprocessing can therefore be supported through reforestation. The effectiveness of new woodland as a carbon sink will be determined by its location and management.

Education: The UK emissions reduction/creation levels are directly affected by carbon savings delivered through the use of dedicated UK energy education programmes. The main focus of these programmes is the reduction of developed world emissions.

Biomass Stoves: The rate of deforestation can be reduced through the use of biomass stoves. The stove promotes a more efficient cooking method, which emits lower levels of CO2.

Low Energy Light bulbs: The way in which light bulbs have been distributed across the developing world aims to reduce CO2 from lighting. The outcome of this has been a reduction in electricity usage which could have been generated at a higher than average CO2 cost.

Solar Panels Technology: This technology is particularly effective in developing countries that receive high levels of concentrated sunlight. It is a key component in the movement towards lower carbon emissions

Methane Capture: Although methane has a shorter lifespan than CO2 it is more powerful. It is a natural gas released by wetlands, farm animals, and landfill sites. Methane levels can be reduced through the use of methane capture from coalmines and landfills, which can also be used as a power source.

Certified Units: There are three main forms of traded units or certified emissions. Projects that are CER’s in waiting may be VER’s temporarily.

ERUs are emissions reduction units created from projects in the developed world. The projects adopt low carbon technology or biomass for example, which reduces their carbon emissions.

CERs are emissions reduction units created through the use of low carbon technology in the developing world. Any savings made can be included in the calculations of the developed world emissions reduction under the Clean Development Mechanism

EUAs are emission allowances created by EU national governments. Surplus carbon credits can be traded on the open market by organisations, and will be purchased by those companies who have exceeded their allowances.

VERs

Prospective purchasers of VER’s are faced with several issues prior to purchase. For example, they will want to find out if the existence of a VER can be verified. They will also seek assurance that funds provided are received by their chosen project, and how viable this project is considered to be. Aside from the central issues they must also consider things, such as the wider environmental value considerations of the VER, their additionality and the VER’s role in the reduction and promotion of overall emission reduction.

 

Certified units should deliver emission savings that have been checked over thoroughly; VER’s would not receive as many checks. They should be compliant with project certification that is often very stringent, and a framework that provides the purchaser with an increased amount of security. Definition on areas such as double counting, the carbon project lifetime and project leakage is included. However the purchaser is still taking a risk when purchasing a certified unit, just as when they purchase VER’s.

VER’s are comprised by many projects considered as unacceptable certified projects. This may be a reflection of the aims of VER’s which may include a combination of carbon and wider social and environmental considerations rather than a reflection of any carbon saving/storage deficiency. Wider social and environmental value criteria may be used to grade CDM based certified units. The CDM Gold Standard is an organisation based in Basel that helps to define suitable projects for purchasers in this respect.

 

1.      Verification - Of the existence of a project and details of its delivery of carbon balance

2.      Emissions calculation - Full understanding of the calculated emissions method is required in order to enable a clear match with any offset product.

3.      Viability - The long term viability of any project must be clarified, particularly in cases where the delivery of carbon savings is gradual and extends over an extended period of time.

4.      Value - An estimate of the offset value, measured in terms of carbon saved/stored is required. Also the additional wider benefits in the context of CO2 reduction must also be considered.

5.      Content - Find out what is included in the offset unit, and check if it is specified by the broker or project originator.

6.      Delivery - Find out how the content and value that the offset unit claims to provide is actually delivered.

7.       Reason for purchase -Choice can be determined partly by the purpose of offset. Certified credits must be purchased by companies that feature in a regulatory framework. Personal taste is likely to determine the choice made by an individual. Unregulated companies can consider their brand or product profile and choose the most suitable project in terms of its type and location.

The way consumers purchase offset, is similar to the way in which a technical item or financial product is purchased. Once created, they are given a price based on the most reliable data available, which will evolve and improve continuously. It is up to the consumer to satisfy themselves on product issues, and understand the basic mechanics of offset projects. Purchasers must consider the key points outlined above, and look beyond the immediate surface content available.