The Avoid Emissions of TCC's Low-Carbon Products and Services

Kuo-Ting Ku｜Researcher of TCC's Office of Responsibility and Sustainability

Dear readers, have you noticed any differences in TCC's Sustainability Report this year? One notable difference is the presentation of TCC's avoided emissions. What is avoided emissions, and how is it measured? This article aims to answer these questions.

TCC launched its low-carbon transformation in 2017. In addition to its efforts to reduce carbon emissions in its own industry, it has also developed new products and services to help other companies solve ESG issues and enhance corporate value through impactful transformation.

TCC quantifies the low-carbon construction materials launched by the cement business, diversified renewable energies, energy storage and batteries as avoid emissions, and evaluates the benefits of corporate transformation on a world scale.

Quantify TCC's global avoided emissions results by using methodologies from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the EU Innovation Fund:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q: Why is avoided emissions important?

In 2022, ISO introduced the IWA 42 Net Zero guidelines, encouraging organizations to offer products or services that bring avoided emissions to society. The World Business Council For Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has also proposed related methodology, explaining that reducing carbon emissions in scopes 1, 2, and 3 should absolutely be the primary task for businesses. However, internal carbon reduction (do less harm) is no longer sufficient; companies must also propose climate solutions to enhance their carbon reduction impact (do more good).

In April 2023, the G7 Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers’ Communiqué called for companies to enhance their avoided emissions and endorsed the WBCSD methodology. The communiqué indicated that reliable mechanisms would be established to direct investments into projects with significant carbon reduction impacts. The Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), comprising 675 major companies from 50 countries across eight financial sectors, also referenced the WBCSD methodology in their 2023 carbon reduction investment transformation impact methodology.

This highlights that international standards organizations like ISO, governments such as the G7, and major financial institutions are increasingly focused on whether companies continuously develop innovative products and services that help reduce global carbon emissions.

Q: What are the prerequisites for calculating avoided emissions?

According to the WBCSD methodology, quantifying a company's avoided emissions must meet three criteria:

1. The company's internal carbon reduction actions must be credible, such as setting SBT (Science-Based Targets).

2. The quantified target must be a product needed for a 1.5°C world, supported by international reports. Examples from TCC include low-carbon construction materials, renewable energy, energy storage, and batteries.

3. The product must have a direct and significant decarbonizing impact, such as low-carbon cement replacing high-carbon cement or low-carbon footprint batteries replacing high-carbon footprint batteries, and eVTOLs replacing fuel-powered aircraft.

Q: How much is TCC's avoided emissions?

AUTHOR

Kuo-Ting Ku｜the Environmental Advocate

Nicknamed Xiaogu, he graduated and joined an environmental NGO. Twelve years later, he became an "old-timer." He looks forward to 2050, when he will become an "old man," hoping that by then, everything in the world will be fine.