Adopting a zero carbon policy is one of the most urgent measures that companies can adopt to mitigate the effects caused by global warming.
That's why we've prepared this guide, where you'll find out more about what zero carbon means, how this concept came about — and what companies, including iFood, can do to neutralize your emissions.
What is zero carbon?
Zero carbon is a set of policies adopted by companies to neutralize the generation of greenhouse gases (GHG), such as carbon dioxide (CO2), by people and industry.
Carbon neutralization happens when the amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere is equal to the amount of carbon removed from it.
Excess carbon emissions are the main cause of the greenhouse effect, responsible for global warming, with increased temperatures on the planet and other climate changes.
To neutralize carbon emissions, a company or individual can offset carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits.
How did the concept come about?
The concept of zero carbon emerged in 1997, with the Kyoto Protocol, an international environmental treaty that defined targets for reducing carbon emissions by developed countries.
In force since 2005, the treaty is a response to climate change and the need to reduce carbon emissions into the atmosphere.
In it, flexibility mechanisms were defined to help signatory countries in the process of reducing greenhouse gases or carbon capture.
One of these mechanisms is International Emissions Trading, which defines the carbon market, through which the transfer of carbon credits is made possible.
What is the goal of zero carbon?
The main objective of the zero carbon policy is to reduce the environmental impact of human activities on the planet's climate by neutralizing carbon emissions.
This can be done with measures such as offsetting emissions through the purchase of carbon credits and investing in and implementing emission reduction projects.
Examples of emission reduction projects include the adoption of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, reforestation and the use of biofuels, such as ethanol.
How does the zero carbon program work in Brazil?
The zero carbon program in Brazil works in a dispersed manner, as there is no program that establishes official parameters for reducing CO emissions.2.
There are initiatives that companies adopt to meet their own goals for decarbonizing the economy, such as Science Based Targets (SBTi) It is Carbon Free Brazil.
Which companies can participate in zero carbon?
Any company that is committed to environmental issues and reductions in Greenhouse Gases can participate in the zero carbon program in Brazil.
What are the impacts of zero carbon for companies and society?
The impacts of zero carbon for companies and society are positive, as they help to mitigate the risks of climate change while delivering innovative solutions and products.
Furthermore, zero-carbon initiatives can help stabilize greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, according to report by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
In Brazil, 27% of the companies interviewed by PwC Annual Global CEO Survey committed to initiatives to Net Zero, that is, carbon neutrality. The index is higher than the global average, which is 21%.
Understand how to get the zero carbon seal
To achieve the zero carbon seal, like the Carbon Free Brazil Seal, the company must carry out a carbon footprint inventory to identify how much carbon it emits in its operations, such as water consumption, energy, transport, etc.
From there, the scope limits it wants to adopt for calculating carbon neutralization and what type of project it will invest in to carry out the neutralization are defined.
After this process, the company receives the carbon neutralized certificate and carbon credits.
Is iFood zero carbon?
Yes: since 2021, all deliveries made via iFood are compensated in advance. This is because the company calculates its volume of polluting gas emissions and can thus neutralize them in advance.
This means that, when you place an order on iFood, the carbon dioxide emissions from that delivery have already been compensated. In 2021, this compensation was made through the purchase of carbon credits that benefited forest conservation projects in the Amazon.
In the second half of 2021 alone, around 1.2 million square meters of forest were protected — the equivalent of 125 official football fields.
In 2022, carbon credits were also allocated to renewable energy generation projects and actions to prevent the release of methane gas, which also causes global warming.
iFood has well-defined goals for zero carbon by 2025, which are aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals relating to the environment.
Through iFood Regenera, in addition to offsetting emissions, the company also invests in solutions to reduce CO2 emissions through the use of bicycles and electric motorbikes in delivery.
How can companies reduce carbon emissions to zero?
Companies can reduce carbon emissions to zero in different ways, but to do so they need to know where they stand in terms of emissions before setting targets.
The consultancy WRI Brazil points out three paths for companies: science-based and short-term goals; long-term goals; and cutting emissions beyond the value chain.
Short-term, science-based targets of 5 to 10 years should be set based on the scale of reductions needed to keep global warming below 1.50C relative to pre-industrial levels.
One way to meet this goal is to transition to renewable energy, such as using solar panels to capture solar energy, for example.
Investing in electric vehicle fleets, defining more sustainable travel policies and using biofuels are initiatives that can produce rapid effects in controlling GHG emissions.
Long-term goals include purchasing carbon credits, reforestation and forest management, and direct carbon capture and storage.
Finally, financing projects to mitigate the effects of global warming that are outside the company's value chain is also a way to reduce carbon emissions to zero.
