What is Carbon Leakage? July 27, 2016 Carbon leakage is an occurrence in climate change policy where carbon emissions from one country are increased because of reductions in another. This is usually due to companies moving from the reducing country to one that has less strict climate policies. This could be because those leaving companies may find it too costly to reduce emissions and therefore find it easier to move to countries with less stringent climate change policies. National governments need to be careful in…

What is a Carbon Footprint? July 25, 2016 A Carbon Footprint is an image used to represent the amount of carbon dioxide emitted both directly and indirectly by humans. It is useful in determining the impact one has on the environment as the idea is: the more carbon emitted, the larger the footprint. The Carbon Footprint derived from and is part of a larger concept known as the ecological footprint, invented in the early 1990s by Canadian ecologist William Rees and Swiss-born regional planner Mathis…

What is the Carbon Cycle? July 25, 2016 The Carbon Cycle is the environmental system that describes the movement of carbon from organisms to the atmosphere and back. Carbon plays an important role on the Earth as all organisms are made from carbon compounds and are in themselves a part of the cycle. This allows for carbon levels to be regulated, ensuring that the global temperature is under control. The amount of carbon moving in the Carbon Cycle is fairly balanced with carbon being absorbed…

What is a Carbon Credit? July 25, 2016 A Carbon Credit is a form of emission reduction that plays into the cap and trade programs. It places a monetary amount on emitted carbon through the form of a credit. In a cap and trade program, a limit is placed on the amount of carbon dioxide that can be emitted by companies. The allowanced amount of carbon given to emitting businesses is in the form of credit that represents one metric tonne of carbon. — Other…

What is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)? July 25, 2016 Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is a technique to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions through storing it underground. It has been popular in the energy sector, where fossil fuels are still used to create electricity, though industries like cement and steel production have also shown some attraction to it. In capturing and storing carbon, producers first separate CO2 from the gases emitted during production. The CO2 is then transported via pipeline or ship for safe…