Two reports brought out by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) show how individuals and countries can substantially cut carbon emissions in small and big ways

Next time you travel by air, carry less than 20 kg of baggage and buy what you need on arrival at a duty-free shop -- this could cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year.

Use a traditional wind-up alarm clock rather than an electronic one -- it will save almost 48 grams of CO2 each day.

Choose to dry clothes on a washing line versus a tumble dryer which has a daily carbon diet of 2.3 kg of CO2.

These are among the recommendations made by two reports from the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) that says it is easier to cut CO2 emissions than we think it is, by adopting a more climate-friendly lifestyle. The reports were launched to mark World Environment Day (June 5).

One of the reports is entitled ‘Kick the Habit: The UN Guide to Climate Neutrality’ and the other, compiled by experts in collaboration with UNEP and the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), is called ‘Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism Sector’.

UNEP says that just under half of personal emissions are within an individual’s control, such as how much we drive and fly and heat and power our homes.

Of the remaining 50%, about half comes indirectly from powering the places where we work, 10% more from maintaining infrastructure and government, and about 20% during the production of goods that people buy, including food.

Other ways of living a low carbon lifestyle include:

• Replacing a 45-minute workout on a treadmill with a jog in a nearby park. This saves nearly 1 kg of the main greenhouse gas.
• Backing campaigns to encourage airlines to give free coach and rail miles instead of free air miles.
• Opting for a non-electric toothbrush will avoid nearly 48 g of CO2 emissions.
• Heating bread rolls in a toaster versus an oven for 15 minutes saves nearly 170 g of CO2.
• Switching from regular 60 Watt light bulbs to energy-saving ones will produce four times less greenhouse gas emissions.
• Taking the train rather than the car for a daily office commute of as little as 8 km will save a big 1.7 kg of CO2.
• Shutting down your computer and flat screen both during lunch breaks and after working hours will cut CO2 emissions generated by these appliances by one-third.
• Investing in a water-saving showerhead will not only save 10 litres of water per minute, but will also slash CO2 emissions resulting from a three-minute hot shower by half.

Air journeys contribute the most to warming the planet, the reports say. Over short distances, air travel produces around three times more CO2 per passenger than rail, while the industry as a whole accounts for around 2-3% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

At the same time, technological innovation can help improve the efficiency of transporting people and goods. Airbus, maker of the super-jumbo A380 aircraft, says that the plane uses less than three litres of fuel per passenger per 100 km. Air New Zealand is planning to fly a plane powered by biofuels made from marine algae. Encouraging airlines to cooperate more closely to boost passenger load factors to 80%, a substantial increase in air fares for business travellers to reflect the extra space they take which could be used for more passengers, and measures to reduce the age of the world’s airline fleet are other steps that would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The UN guide also highlights the success stories: how companies, cities, organisations and countries are adopting strategies to achieve zero-emission businesses, communities and economies.

A great deal of this transition to a Green Economy is being federated and empowered under the banner of UNEP’s Climate Neutral Network (CN Net) which was launched in February 2008.

New Zealand, one of CN Net’s founding participants and host of this year’s World Environment Day, aims to source 90% of electricity from renewable sources by 2025 and to halve per capita transport emissions by 2040 by using electric cars and biofuels.

The country is also pioneering ways of reducing emissions from livestock in an economy where half of greenhouse gases come from agriculture.

During the week surrounding World Environment Day, several New Zealand companies and organisations have followed the government’s suit by joining CN Net: Meridian Energy, Christchurch International Airport, popular e-commerce website Trade Me, the New Zealand Wine Company, Warren and Mahoney Architects and major non-profit association Landcare Research, among others.

The idea of climate neutrality is catching on worldwide. CN Net includes participants from across the developing world such as the solar-powered Chinese city of Rizhao and the entire Central American nation of Costa Rica, which is striving to achieve climate neutrality in time for its 200 years independence celebrations in 2021.

The British football club Ipswich Town has worked out that it produces 3,200 tonnes of CO2 every season, and successfully offsets this by asking supporters to make specific pledges to save energy. The bank Credit Suisse has been making a gradual switch to renewable power supplies in its offices.

"It is clear that we are glimpsing a Green Economy emerging in communities and countries across the world. Driving this transition is the sobering science on the impacts of climate change if we fail to act, but also the abundant economic opportunities if economies become more resource-efficient. Companies and consumers are demanding and acting to realise change, and some countries are starting to deliver it," says Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director.

"It is now up to governments everywhere to step up to the bar and ensure that a Green Economy becomes a global, long-lasting phenomenon. That level of ambition will be put to the litmus test in just 18 months when nations must agree on a new and fully formed climate convention treaty in Copenhagen in late-2009," Steiner adds.

Source: www.unep.org, June 4, 2008