Best Foot Forward

This debate is best exemplified by examining China – a nation commonly cited as an ever-increasing producer of carbon dioxide emissions. A recent study by Carnegie Mellon University has estimated China’s “export goods emissions” contribute 33% of the country’s national footprint - a total of 1.7bn tonnes of CO₂ (equivalent to the combined emissions of the UK, France and Germany).

BFF considers that ‘demand’ from consumers at an individual, corporate, or national level drives the ‘supply’ industries. The production needed to ‘supply’ goods leads to GHG emissions but the responsibility for the emissions sits with the consumer, i.e demand, side. Of course producers must maximise their efficiency of production, but this is something that can be driven in part by demand preferences of consumers.

BFF recognises the complexity of developing national footprint accounts from our own experience (and the enormous challenge of developing international agreements). However, the progress of carbon accounting rules and associated agreements must recognise these underlying behaviours if change is to occur.