SA moves to catch up on carbon emissions

The good news, according to a Business Day report, is that the top-40 listed companies on the JSE are to participate in a carbon disclosure project (CDP) over the next two weeks to determine the impact of business practices on the environment. SA companies are finding it increasingly difficult to penetrate world markets as international buyers are more concerned about the environment. And underpinning the initiative is the realisation that the world is increasingly moving towards a ‘carbon constrained’ future which could have significant implications for business. It is the first time that developing countries will participate, with SA, Brazil and India set to produce carbon reports this year.‘This is a concrete step in a direction where environmentally unsustainable practices will carry a material market value and a large carbon footprint will become a significant liability,’ said Peet du Plooy, trade and investment adviser to the Worldwide Fund for Nature. The CDP was launched in the UK in 2000 and the first survey included FT500 company responses. Currently, 2 100 international companies participate. Full Business Day report

The emissions of the top 40 listed companies are likely to comprise a hefty proportion of the country\'s total, particularly if they include the carbon dioxide emitted by Eskom to produce the electricity they buy, reports Business Report. In the absence of a national inventory – the government is still looking to collect figures – the World Resources Institute estimates that SA emitted 417.6 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2000, the most recent year for which figures are available. This ranks the country as the 19th biggest emitter in absolute terms, responsible for 1.24% of global emissions. But SA is thought to be the world\'s worst offender if emissions are measured per capita or per unit of gross domestic product. Full report in Business Report