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Climate Action
Climate Action: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
We participated in the Green Economy Canada pilot project alongside other small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ontario entitled “SME Net-Zero Pathways: Manufacturing” to measure our carbon footprint and to identify potential greenhouse gas emission reduction opportunities. We are using a Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Value Chain Accounting and Reporting Standard to measure our carbon footprint. The standard includes three scopes businesses use to measure their metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) across all of their business activities. Here is how our base year, 2019 compares to 2021 and the status of our assessment to date.
Scope 1 are any direct emissions from sources that are owned/controlled by Copernicus, mainly heating our facility
2019 Scope
78.5 Mt CO2e
2021 Scope
78.2 Mt CO2e
2019 Scope 2021 Scope
3.5 Mt CO2e 4.3 Mt CO2e
Scope 3 are any indirect emissions from our operations or supply chain, the majority being from the products we manufacture
2019 Scope Approx. 5910 Mt CO2e
2021 Scope Being measured
This gives us a total of approximately 5992 Mt CO2e for the year of 2019. Measuring is an important first step, but the next step is to use those measurements to set science-based targets for reducing those emissions.
Goal:
We commit to reducing absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2019 base year, and to measure and reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. This is in line with the United Nations target to hold temperature rise at 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and is advised by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as an approachable goal for SMEs.
Carbon Offsets
As we measure and reduce our carbon emissions, we still want to be balancing the amount of carbon we are producing, which we do by buying carbon offsets. Our criteria for offset projects includes retiring their offsets when purchased, having a long-term plan, and transparency of fund use. Buying offsets is not the solution to climate change, but it is a helpful step as we work on reducing our carbon emissions.
5762 Mt CO2e offset in 2021
36% 41% 24%
From Land Use Protection Projects From Renewable Energy Projects From Other Community-Based Projects
Carbon Offset Projects Purchased From:
• Heqing, China Solar Cooker Project • Russas-Valparaiso Tropical Forest Conservation Project • Sichuan, China Biogas Digester Project • Peru Deforestation Protection Project • Katingan, Indonesia Peatland Protection Project • Kolanupaka, Telangana Solar Power Plant Project
Net Zero 2030
We have also joined over 1600 other companies in committing to the B Corp Climate Collective Net Zero 2030. This means we are committing to achieving net zero emissions by 2030 as a company. We commit to reduce emissions wherever possible and what we cannot reduce any further, we will use verified carbon offsets to cover (see previous page).
