Calculating your own CO2 emissions - why emissions data are essential
The EU is to become climate-neutral by 2050 - Austria even by 2040. To achieve this goal, particularly CO2-intensive companies such as logistics service providers must pull together and sustainably reduce their CO2 emissions.
But where should one start? And which measures have the greatest effect in terms of CO2 reduction? This article explains why the answer to these questions depends on one thing above all: the right data.
Lack of knowledge about own CO2 emissions
According to a study on emissions management in transport logistics in Germany, 84% of the logistics companies surveyed were prepared to make specific investments in optimizing their own carbon footprint in 2020.
The introduction of the CO2 tax is likely to increase this willingness even further in the future. A positive signal - but the survey also shows where there is currently the greatest need to catch up: In many cases, there is no overview of the company's own CO2 emissions.
45% of the logistics companies surveyed do not record their emissions at all or only partially, while 17% only estimate emissions for the year as a whole. Only 38% of the companies collect emissions data by cause for each individual transport route.
What you can't measure, you can't control
The collection of emission data according to the source is the first and thus fundamental step for an effective CO2 reduction. Only if we know exactly where emissions occur can we define the appropriate parameters for CO2 reduction.
The more data that is included - such as historical energy consumption, transport performance, telematics data, etc. - the more accurately the impact of various measures on the carbon footprint can be simulated.
Data strategy as a solution
Smaller companies often lack the necessary expertise in data management. For larger companies, the challenge often lies in bringing together data from different sub-service providers. In both cases, a data strategy is required to make optimal data-based decisions.
As digitization experts in logistics, we would be happy to advise you on the development of such a data strategy. With our expertise, which ranges from identifying relevant data sources to data analysis and data engineering, we give you the tools to understand and actively manage your own CO2 emissions.