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๐Ÿ’ก How to quantify the impact of your climate actions?
๐Ÿ’ก How to quantify the impact of your climate actions?
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Written by Support @Greenly
Updated this week

Your Greenhouse Gas Assessment will give you an overview of your impact on the climate while helping you identify the most relevant action levers for your company. Once these levers have been identified, you can choose an emission reduction strategy. A typical climate strategies aim to achieve short-term reduction targets in line with the Paris Agreements.

I - Summary

Why is it useful to quantify the impact of your actions?

Quantifying the impact that certain actions would have on your current emissions report is essential to managing a climate strategy: this allows you to prioritize impactful actions in order to achieve your objectives. In addition, quantifying the impact of actions makes it possible to identify the indicators necessary to monitor their deployment (KPIs) and to anticipate the risks of pitfalls associated with their implementation.

What quantification method do we recommend to follow?

We recommend you to use the quantification method called โ€œQuantiGESโ€.

In a few words, how can we estimate the impact of an action?

To estimate the impact of an action, you should map two scenarios. In the first scenario, your operations are not influenced by any action to reduce emissions (reference scenario). In the second scenario, your operations are influenced by the implementation of an action (action implementation scenario).

You can then go to the ADEME website to find a specific emission factor linked to your sector of activity and the scope of the action. You should obtain an emission factor for the reference scenario and another one for the action implementation scenario. The difference between the two emission factors gives the emission reduction value that the action would allow if deployed.

Do you have examples of quantifying climate actions?

This document provides 30 practical examples on how to quantify actions with the QuantiGES method (examples translated into English are coming very soon).

Where can I find the ADEME emission factors?

You need to register on the ADEME website, which is a quick and simple. You can then use all the emission factors by following the explanations give on the โ€œConsult the data onlineโ€ and โ€œDownload the dataโ€ pages.

Can I get some help with this?

Of course! Our climate strategy support program includes the prioritization and quantification of a set of emissions reduction actions.

This support is not directly included in your GHG Assessment offer because it requires a signficant level of adaptation from our teams to your specific case. If you are interested, you can book an appointment with our experts.

II - Overview of the QuantiGES method

The method we follow

To measure the impact of actions aimed at reducing your emissions, ADEME recommends using the QuantiGES method. This method makes it possible to estimate the quantity of emissions reduced following the implementation of an action, compared to a reference scenario, over a given geographical and temporal scope (described in Figure 1). This method also allows you to evaluate the accuracy of your final estimate by using accuracy indicators on key steps.

This method is divided into three steps, the summary of which you will find below. For more details, refer to the ADEME methodological guide, register for the free ADEME training on the subject, or contact us!

Phase 1 - Framing

This phase allows you to start the project by clearly defining its limits and objectives. To begin, it is necessary to define the action to be quantified: for effective communication and structured work, it is necessary, among other things, to define the title of the action, its bearer, its current status, its main objective, and its period. of implementation. Then, we formalize the objective to be quantified. Indeed, identifying the reason for applying the methodology makes it possible to deduce the desired level of precision.

For example, when we apply this method to build a climate strategy, the goal is to get an initial idea of the impact potential of an action. The expected precision of the results is therefore moderate and can be improved during the project with real data.


Phase 2 - Characterization of the action


Secondly, you will be able to identify the most likely reference scenario, which will show the hypothetical evolution of what your emissions would be if you did not implement a carbon reduction project. Once this scenario has been identified, you can describe the impacts of the action examined by constructing a consequence tree.

To build this tree, you must identify all the direct consequences of the action, then, by iteration, the consequences of the direct consequences, etc. Consequences with a negative GHG impact are also included in the tree. After a few ramifications, we can identify the unit impacts on each emission source. The user will decide how accurate this model is. An example of a consequence tree is available below.

ADEME also invites you to take into account external factors that could influence the impact of the project. For example, the impact of an action plan aimed at generalizing the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof of a factory will depend on the weather: it will therefore be necessary to make an assumption on the average sunshine to calculate the impact of the action plan.


Phase 3 - Quantification of the action

Finally, the action can be quantified. It is first necessary to determine the extent of the quantification, in particular the period over which the action takes place (especially in the case where the duration of the consequences has no fixed limit as if it is a question of an economic incentive to cycle for commuting). We must also agree on the GHGs taken into account.

Each of the direct consequences present in the tree can then be roughly estimated using average data, and the most significant elements in absolute value are selected to be studied in more detail. The number of positions retained depends on the desired precision.

For each of these main impacts, it will then be necessary to collect activity data within your company and look for precise emission factors to improve the rough estimate previously established. Once the impacts of the most significant positions have been added up, an estimate of the total impact of the action plan is available! This result must be accompanied by a quantification of the uncertainty based on all the uncertainty indicators collected during the different stages.

At Greenly, we keep average values as a starting point to give you a first estimate of the impact of an action. We only ask you to provide additional physical data if you want to commit to an action.


Phase 4 - Conclusion

Once the results have been synthesized, analyzed, and presented, the quantification of the reduction action is complete! The measure can be refined during its implementation, with the integration of additional data and the quantification of more consequences.


To go further - Greenly support

Although this method provides relevant and actionable results, its use can be difficult: data sources are numerous and the consequences of an action are sometimes difficult to estimate. It may therefore be useful to contact our support team via this email support@greenly.earth or through the chatbot available on the platform.

Furthermore, this method can only estimate the impact of isolated actions. Indeed, the impact of sets of actions cannot be considered as the sum of the impact of individual actions: their interactions must be taken into account.

Greenly would be delighted to help you overcome these obstacles, via long-term support - do not hesitate to contact us!

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SUPPORT:

how to select data online

to access the impact indicators on this link

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