Sustainability in Development Cooperation

Preliminary Findings on the Carbon Footprint of Development Aid Organizations

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12307461
AutoresJoana Almeida (0000-0002-1069-1883, KU Leuven Division Forest, Nature and Landscape Leuven Belgium, autor de correspondencia), Bruno Verbist (0000-0001-5169-7176, KU Leuven Division Forest, Nature and Landscape Leuven Belgium), Wouter M J Achten (KU Leuven Division Forest, Nature and Landscape Leuven Belgium), Wouter Achten (0000-0001-7771-2573, Research Institute for Nature and Forest), Miet Maertens (0000-0001-7245-0375, KU Leuven Division Agricultural and Food Economics Leuven Belgium), Bart Muys (0000-0001-9421-527X, KU Leuven Division Forest, Nature and Landscape Leuven Belgium, autor de correspondencia)
Año2012
Volumen22
Número5
Páginas349-359
Fecha de publicación2012-11-22
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSustainable Development (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0968-0802 • E-ISSN: 1099-1719
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/sd.1553
OpenAlexW1530392751
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas1
Referencias citadas32

This study assesses for the first time the environmental sustainability of development organizations involved in North–South cooperation by quantifying the carbon footprint as a widely adopted indicator. Our objectives are to (1) analyze the criteria that should be met for correct greenhouse gas accounting of development organizations, (2) gain insight into the emission profile for a limited sample of development organizations from Belgium and Germany, and (3) set forward policy options for more sustainable practices. Carbon footprints are calculated following official guidelines and include available data from different institutions. Mobility of staff is on average responsible for 60% of total annual emissions of the organizations under study, mainly owing to air travel (40%), followed by electricity and heating of offices. These emissions may be partially offset through voluntary carbon market transactions or within development projects themselves. Either approach requires the adoption of high standards of carbon accounting by development organizations. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

Business · Carbon Footprint · Carbon offset · Economics · Electricity · Environmental economics · Environmental resource management · Greenhouse gas · Offset (computer science · Sample (material · Sustainability · Sustainable development · Computer Science · Energy and Environment Impacts · Engineering · Environmental Impact and Sustainability · Urban Transport and Accessibility · Accounting