Assessment 2 learning Text

Daniel Zinner
August 30, 2013

Introduction

I composed this text as I find it a to be an excellent method to learn. Please use at own risk

Chimps section(Section A)

2.1

What chimp advised us to learn

Although she screwed us over in the past by telling us to concentrate on a section and not question it, she
might be giving genuine advice this time around. Anyway this is what she asked for us to learn:
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All sections as presented in the bound notes plus the material to be presented by the guest lecturer will be
examined. In these sections make sure you know the following:
2.1.1

Sustainable development

Sustainable technologies sec1.3.2

Economic growth environmental constraints and social constraints sec1.4
Equity and sustainable development sec 1.5
2.1.2

Green engineering

Green engineering principles you need to understand situations where the GE principles are applicable/not
applicable or are supported/violated and be able to give reasons for your answer. PPT slides for this section
could be useful.
2.1.3

Life Cycle assessment

The bound notes, Power point slides and information requested in your LCA project is important
Given a case study you should be able to identify the basic components of LCA. Therefore, you need to
understand the typical activities and information required at different phases of LCA.
Please make sure you know the difference between stages of life cycle of a product (material extraction,
manufacturing etc) and stages of life cycle assessment process (Goal/scope, inventory etc).
You should also know the different types of LCA and where/when they are applied.
2.1.4

Environmental Auditing

PPT slides are sufficient

Know how it is assesses environmental performance
The procedure of conducting it
Different types

2.1.5

Environmental Management Systems and ISO 14001

PPT are sufficient

Understand information requested in the clauses
Know how environmental policy is structured and the information required for ISO 14001
Know how the Environmental Management manual is structured
Know the operating model of the EMS i.e. the Deming model
2.1.6

Low carbon Economy: Guest Lecturer notes

Make sure you understand the example given in class.

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So with this in retrospect I will now list all sections mentioned and summarise them

2.2

Sustainable development

This is a short summary from the bound notes given to us in class. Every bullet will be a paragraph summarized.
2.2.1

Sustainable technologies (sec1.3.2)

Sustainable technologies lets us meet our needs with a minimum impact on the environment. Lots of
sustainable technology exists but have failed to become wide spread due to social and economic reasons.
For example many superior recycling methods exist but are poorly used in many countries.
Sustainable Technology offers the prospect of reconciling economic development and prosperity with environmental impacts, improving health, expanding knowledge, stimulating economic growth and ensuring
a better quality of life. Leading these transformations are information and communication technology,
biotechnology(GM crops and Drugs) and nano technology(revolutionary new technology enabling science
and engineering at molecular level).
These accelerated new technologies will transform the way we live, work,communicate, produce and Consume. Many products contribute directly to sustainable development through improving health, nutrition,
knowledge and living standards, reducing environmental pollution.
New technology can lead to new potential risks which are not always easy to predict(nuclear energy: 3 mile
island, Chernobyl; CFC: ozone layer; Fossil fuel: Global warming)
Technology advances raise concerns about possible environmental, health and socio economic impacts(concerns
about health risks of cell phones; internet facilitating child porn)
There are concerns about all this new technology because we do not know all the potential risks involved.
It has been suggested that the most the most effective response to technological risk is the adoption of a
precautionary principle. When an activity raises threats of harm to the environment or human health,
precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause- effect relationships are not fully established.
Better safe than sorry principle.
The precautionary principle has been developed primarily in the context of environmental policy. It emerged
in European environmental policies and was recognized by the UNCED in rio hence aka rio deceleration.
Been implemented widely. Basis of European environmental law plays significant role in developing
environmental health policies. The precautionary principle specifies that scientific uncertainty is know
excuse for environmental or health problems. Some controversy because it can be interpreted as proof
of absolute safety is required before new technology can be implemented. There are strong and soft
formulations and everything in between as the precautionary principle is still evolving.
New technology and science involves new potential risks so we need to do a full assessment on it to weigh
benefits and potential/expected harm and alternatives. One method is using the life cycle approach.

 Few examples were named. GM foods have different potential benefits in developing countries(with lot of
draught, food demand high supply low) vs developed countries(food supply high demand low). Nuclear
power needs to be not only weighed up against fossil fuels but also against solar and wind. Golden rice:
Rice with vitamin A could save thousands of children with vitamin A deficiency, however could undermine
food security (encourages a diet based on one staple). Catalyst converter in cars, good solution but the
production of cars increases to such an extent that it does little in the greater scale of things. It was only
a short term solution as the increase in cars overwhelms the gain of the converter.
2.2.2

Economic growth environmental constraints and social constraints (sec1.4)

Carrying capacity is defined as the maximum number of individuals of a defined species that a given environment
can support over the long term. The notion of limits is fundamental to the concept of carrying capacity. Two
concepts emerged environmental space and ecological footprint to define these ecological limits and demonstrate
the extent of our consumption.
Environmental Space: It describes the scope of human activities by defining environmental constraints.Concept
developed by friends of earth.
The first stage in calculation is to estimate worlds carrying capacity: Total area of productive land available
for agriculture; maximum harvest of renewable source which can de sustained; maximum rate of CO2
absorption from atmosphere; maximum assimilation of water; ect... The second factor is the distribution
of this carrying capacity. At present a small number of high income countries account for the most
consumption. Distribution is unequal.
Environmental space can be used to set practical targets for sustainability and to have equitable access to
resources.
Example of Holland consuming more than its fair share of environmental space.
Example of England consuming more of its fair share of environmental space.
3 sufficient strategies to meet targets:
1. A more efficient use of resources(e.g. products:less material and longer life)
2. Using different technologies to meet needs(e.g. alternative energy)
3. Finding ways of meeting environmental space targets that meet needs directly and avoid overconsumption that is damaging quality of life(e.g. energy companies can sell service and not just energy
and in such implement energy efficient services such as light and warmth)
Ecological Footprint:is another tool for measuring the extent of our consumption. It shows how much
productive land and water is required to support a defined economy or population at a specific standard.
Divide all of earths productive land and sea by the number of people today gives 1.9ha of biological productive space per person. However the ecological footprint is 2.3ha. Leaving less space untouched for other
species makes this ecological deficit even larger.
America has largest ecological footprint.
eco-footprint and environmental space enable us to understand environmental limits to human activities
better.
They also show us that there is a huge inequality in access to environmental resources and increasing gap
between developed and developing countries.
To demonstrate global inequality we can adjust population figures to reflect energy consumption. This allows
us to compare countries with different populations.
A lot of inequality between rich and poor. All these unequal accesses (technology, trade protection ect) are
all part of existing inequality problems. Sustainable consumption is linked with the question of equitable
distribution of resources and opportunities.

2.2.3

Equity and sustainable development sec 1.5

Focuses attention on imbalance. Brudtland report strongly underlined that benefits and burdens should be
distributed fairly among societies and between generations. The report says primary goal is of SD is
equity between current(integration equity) and future generation(intergenerational equity).
Integration equity:Brudtland report pointed out that meeting essential needs requires not only economic
growth for poor nations but also that they get their fair share of resources. There is a link between
poverty and environment
The poor are also more vulnerable to environmental degradation as they have a much lower capacity to cope
with it (draught , disaster ect). They have a low capacity to cope with change and as such are hit harder
because the majority of their economy is based on climate -sensitive areas (agriculture).
This link between poor and environment is characterised as a vicious circle. Often policies lead either to
protection of environment at the cost of the poor or to better the poor at the cost of degrading the
environment. It is often the rich companies in poor areas that cause this degradation.
There are also cases where the poor better the environment and better them self at the same time. A win
win situation. This eliminates poverty and protects the environment.
Indoor heating and cooking can cause environmental problems and health risks(deforestation and respirator
disease) how ever increasing efficiency by 20% can reduce the effect on environment and health by half.
Even better would be solar cooking and heating. By including locals in sales and distribution of the new
stoves you can also tackle poverty and improve standards of living.
Helping is not just tackling the problem but also finding the cause which can be removed. Such as unjust
economic policies and so on.
Causes of poverty are often environmental in nature. Environmental factors often cause disease. Often contamination of water is a problem(poor/no sewage system). Malaria is also an attribute to Environmental
factors.
Tackling the cause of poverty also includes environmental ones. There are different definitions to poverty(income
or consumption poverty, human underdevelopment, social exclusion ill-being, lack of capabilities, lack of
basic needs...ect)
Different concepts imply different means to tackle poverty.
There are a number of action that can be taken to address this problem: Strengthen participation of the
poor in the preparation and implementation of national and local plans
protect the current natural asset of the poor through protecting the access they already have to critical
resources
expand natural asset base of the poor through transferring ownership of natural assets to the poor and
promoting pro-poor land reform
c0-manage and co-invest in environmental services and resources with the poor through promoting and
strengthening community management of environmental resources
promote environmental infrastructure and technology that benefit the poor
make resource transfers to the poor
Intergenerational Equity:consider the well being of the future generations. IS an integral part of SD. It
is a moral duty.
An interpretation is that the equity of society should not decline. The constant rule: The value of the
overall capital stock is not allowed to decline. This is weak sustainability as it assumes that forms
capital are completely sustainable for each other( ok to give less of one capital and more of another as long
as overall same or more). The demand for stock of natural capital(Ozone layer, biological diversities...ect)
to be kept constant or increase for future generations is know as strong sustainability.
The goal of sustainable development is to sustain improvements in human well-being over time and
to ensure that what we do today will not deprive future generations of the means to meet
their own needs.
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 One way of achieving this goal is to follow the general principles of intergenerational equity://1.the principle
of not closing down options for future generations and//2.the principle of maximising future choices buy
making considered judgement as to what are the most central, significant or important things to preserve
and protect.
In many situations our decisions will have to have trade offs between different objectives or generations.
However if we apply the principles of SD consistently we stand a better chance to minimize trade offs.

2.2.4

Potentially important diagrams

2.3

Green engineering

In this section I will get most of information from slides instead of notes.
2.3.1

What is green engineering

Green engineering is the design, discovery and implementation of engineering solutions with an awareness of
potential benefits and problems in terms of the environment, the economy and society through out the life of the
design. It considers both technical and non-technical approaches.The goal of green engineering is to minimize
adverse impacts while simultaneously maximize benefits to the economy, society and the environment.
2.3.2

12 green engineering principles

Inherent rather than circumstantial: Designers need to strive to ensure that all materials and energy
inputs and outputs are as inherently non hazardous as possible
Prevention instead of treatment: It is better to prevent than to treat or clean up waste after it is formed.
Design for Separation: Separation and purification operations should be designed to minimize energy
consumption.
Maximise efficiency: Products, processes and systems should be designed to maximize mass, energy, space
and time efficiency.
Output-Pulled vs. Input-Pushed: Products, processes and systems should be output pulled rather
than input pushed through the use of energy and materials.
Conserve complexity: Embedded entropy and complexity must be viewed as an investment when making
design choices on recycle, reuse, or beneficial disposition.
Durability rather then immortality: Targeted durability, not immortality, should be a design goal.
Meet need minimize excess: Design for unnecessary capacity or capability(e.g. one size fits all) should
be considered a design flaw.
Minimize material diversity: Material diversity in multicomponent products should be minimized to
promote disassembly and value retention.
Integrate material and energy flows: Design products, processes and systems must include integration
and interconnectivity with available energy and materials flows.
Design for commercial Afterlife: Products, processes and systems should be designed for performance
in a commercial afterlife.
Renewable rather than depleting: Material and energy inputs should be renewable rather than depleting.

2.3.3

Application of green engineering at design stage

Green Engineering approach has sustainability perspective and is characterised by being scalable, flexible and
applicable at all design stages. Its about doing the right thing in the right way.
Design:
D Define
E Objective
S Strategy
I Implement
G Monitoring
N Adjusting
Florescent light bulbs doing the right thing the wrong way as they are constructed using rare and toxic metals.
Therefore they are more efficient however pose a risk to human health.
2.3.4

Design

During design engineers evaluate properties of inputs and outputs, therefore they have greatest input in the life
of a product. Sustainability can be integrated in the specifications of products, processes or systems. Green
Engineering designs can be used as an opportunity to leapfrog existing ideas or designs.
As the degrees of freedom in the design increase engineers have more flexibility to innovate a solution to the
problem.
(insert Table 7.1 of slide 20)
The design phase dictates the life cycle of a product process or system. During the design phase, approximately
70 - 75 percent of the cost becomes fixed for the product development, manufacture, and use. These cost might
be realised later in the life cycle.
2.3.5

Pollution Prevention

Green engineering advocates waste prevention. The focus here is on sustainable efficient design. Pollution prevention on the other hand is focused on increasing the efficiency of a process to reduce the amount of pollution
generated. This is the basis for incremental ism or eco -efficiency, where the current system is tweaked to be
better than before thus, it is not really green engineering.
Pollution Hierarchy:
Source reduction Should be prevented at source
Recycling Waste generated should be reused
Treatment Waste that cannot be reused should be treated
Disposal Waste that cannot treated should be dissposed in a safe manner
2.3.6

Industrial Ecology

Industrial ecology is the shifting of industrial processes from system in which resource and capital investment
move through the system to become waste, to ecological closed-loops, where waste becomes input for new
processes.
Type 1 Eco system (open loop): unlimited resources Organism unlimited waste
Type 2 Eco system (Semi closed loop): Energy and limited resources  limited waste
Type 2 has cycling and generates some waste.
Type 3 Eco system(closed loop): Energy 
Type 3 is based on natural systems where there is no waste, instead wastes become inputs for new
processes.
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2.3.7

Design for environment(DFE) or Eco - design

In DFE environmental burdens are intentionally considered and eliminated where possible, at the design phase,
DFE strategies include source reduction, material recovery, and when these fail, the use of treatable as opposed
to untreatable materials is preferred.
Strategies for eliminating environmental burdens:
Changes in material selection
Changes in equipment selection; improved purchasing choices
Improved operating practices
Improved recovery and disposition practices
Improved logistics
Design for end of life: readily recyclable or more easily disassembled for reuses or recycle, waste minimisation, energy efficiency and increased lifetime(durability).
2.3.8

Measuring Sustainability

While principles of green engineering provide framework for designers, many engaged in sustainability goals.
An indicator, in general is something that points to an issue or condition. Its purpose is to show you how
well a system is working if there is a problem, an indicator can help you determine what direction to take to
address the issue. Sustainability indicators should be a collection that represents the multidimensional nature
of sustainability, considering environmental, social and economic facets.
Environmental indicators:
Traditional: Levels of pollution in the air, water soil etc Cost of fuel
Sustainable indicator: Use and generation of pollutants( where, when), use of energy
Emphasis on sustainability: Total energy used, measure of activities causing the pollution; rate of use of
resources
Economic indicators:
Traditional: Average income
Sustainable indicator:Number of hours paid; average wage required to support basic needs
Emphasis on sustainability: what the wage can buy; local financial resilience
Social Indicators:
Traditional: Number of registered voters
Sustainable indicator: Number of people voted in election
Emphasis on sustainability: number of people participating in democratic process

2.4
2.4.1

Life Cycle assessment

What is life cycle assessment?

Definition1: Calculation of environmentally relevant inputs and outputs and the potential impacts of the
life cycle of a product, material or services is know as Life cycle assessment. This includes the technical
system of processes, transport routes used at, or needed for raw materials extraction, production, use
and after use. Sometimes this is called cradle to grave assessment.

 Definition2: A compilation and evaluation of inputs, outputs and potential environmental impacts of a
product throughout its life cycle. It includes staged in the life cycle of an activity: Extraction and processing of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, use and re-use and maintenance,
recycling and disposal.
Definition3: Is a consideration that takes into account the environmental performance of a product, process,
system through all phases from acquisition of raw materials to refining those materials, manufacturing,
use and end of life management. In the case of engineering infrastructure, the life stages would include:
Site development, materials and product delivery, infrastructure manufacture, infrastructure use, and
refurbishment, recycling and disposal.
2.4.2

Life cycle assessment of a product

Entire, process or system life cycle is evaluated. It is the holistic approach that takes into account of extraction
and treatment of raw materials; Product manufacturing; Transport and distribution; Product use and End of
life.
2.4.3

What is missing the life cycle assessment to ensure sustainability?

LCA should have full assessment of goods and services with in the context of sustainable development. (thus
upholding the 3 pillars of sustainable development: Environment, Economy and Society). However, the traditional LCA has some sustainability links missing as follows:
1. The Economy: To find out how the product will effect the economy we need to carry out an economic
life cycle assessment (e-LCA) or sometimes called life cycle costing (LCC), which is the total cost of
ownership. LCC is a compilation and assessment of all costs related to a product, over its entire life
cycle, from production to use, maintenance and disposal.
2. The Society: To find out how a product will effect the society we need to carry out a Socio-Economic
Life Cycle Assessment(S-LCA). This is a technique for assessing social impact. In other words assess the
socio-economic aspects of products, their potential positive and negative impacts along their life cycle
using generic and site specific data. The objects of S-LCA are the products and services and its scope is
the entire life cycle. Social and socio-economic aspects in S-LCA are those that may directly or indirectly
affect stakeholders positively or negatively during the entire life cycle of a product. The assessed aspects
may be linked to the behaviour of enterprises, to socio-economic processes, or to impacts on social capital.
2.4.4

Life cycle components

Impact assessment Inventory analysis Goal and scope

...............................................................................................
....................................Interpretation.........................................
Goal and scope: consists of the following information
01. Intended application and Audience
02. Reason for the study
03. Limitations
04. Functions of the system being investigated
05. Functional units (most important elements of LCA)
06. The system being investigated
07. The system boundaries
08. The allocation approaches
09. The data requirements
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 10. Data quality requirements

11. The key assumptions
12. The impact assessment method
13. The interpretation method
14. The type of reporting
Inventory analysis(LCI): Identifies and quantifies the environmental burdens in the LCA of an activity
under study. The burdens are defined by material and energy used and emissions to the environment
(liquid, gas and solid waste).The phase involves four activities:
1. Detailed definition of the system
2. The collection of quantitative data and analysis of all inputs and outputs, their composition, source and
final destination during production, use and end of life and material and energy balance.
3. The allocation of environmental burdens in multiple function systems.
4. Data adaptation and or weighting to the functional unit to take into account the whole life cycle thus
quantification of the environmental burdens.
Impact analysis (LCIA): Product/production system is analysed from environmental perspective using category indicators e.g. global warming, ozone depleting, water pollution, water use, air pollution ect. There
are four mandatory elements of LCIA:
1. Selection of impact categories, category indicator and models: These are defined by their impact pathway and impact indicator, and the elementary flows from the inventory are assigned to the
impact categories according to the substances ability to contribute to different environmental problems.
2. Assignment of LCIA(mandatory): Identification of environmental impacts caused by each pollutant
and assigning them to impact categories. example: two pollutants can contribute to acid rain. However
one of them can also cause smog.
3. Calculation of category indicator results: This defines how much impact an emission has with regard to a pre-defined reference substance of an impact category. This is expressed by means of a characterisation factor. For example: The acidification potentials or the global warming potentials per functional
unit of the pollutants. Methane has an environmental impact for 25*CO2 GWP within 100 years time.
The GWP is calculated in kg CO2 equivalents. Therefore the characterisation factor of methane is 25.
The results for each characterised indicator can be summed up within each impact category. Calculating the magnitude of category indicator results relative to a reference value (normalisation), Grouping,
weighting e.g. Examples can be distribution, intensity, persistence, severity, contribution, re movability
but NOT timing of impact or removal of impact.
4. Interpretation: This phase is aimed at system improvements and innovations as such it is some times
referred to as Improvement assessment phase. Results are analysed in line with the goal and scope. Conclusions are reached by identifying major burdens or impacts. Recommendations are provided following
ISO 14043 standards.
2.4.5

General characteristics of LCA

Iterative process
Impact assessment helps understand the environmental inputs and outputs that are significant and improves
inventory analysis
Conclusions of LCA should be compatible with goal and quality of study
Goal and scope define the limits of the study
Inventory consists of listing of categorisation
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 Impact assessment describes and quantifies impacts

Improvement assessment form basis for improvement of existing cycle
LCA is a conceptual thought process that guides selection of options from designs and improvement
LCA is methodological quantifies and qualifies inventory of environmental burdens and identifies ways to
improve environmental performance
2.4.6

LCA Classification

LCA can be qualitative or quantitative in nature. The qualitative approach is used to quickly establish which
products and services might present the best options. The quantitative approach is used when you want to
compare two products, or consider one product on its own. There is also streamlined LCA where some of the
life stages eliminated or with adjusted system boundaries.
The LCA can also be classified based on the system boundaries which were selected:
Cradle-to-grave: This is the full Life Cycle Assessment.
Cradle-to-gate: This is a partial product life cycle i.e resource extraction (cradle) to the factory gate.
Cradle-to-cradle: This is also known as open loop production. This is a cradle to disposal with a recycling
process included.
Gate-to-gate: This is a partial LCA looking at only one value-added process in the entire production chain.
The LCA can also be classified based on product or process being assessed for example transport.
LCA can also be classified based on whether it is attributional or it is encompassing of the consequences
of change in response to decision.
LCA as a conceptual thought process that guide selection of options from designs and improvement.
LCA is a method to build quantitative and qualitative inventory of environmental burdens or releases
and identify alternative for improvement.
2.4.7

Simplified LCA

The simplified LCA consists of 3 parts. Screening, Simplifying and Assessing reliability. In screening one has
to identify parts of the system that are important. In simplifying you have to use the screening results to focus
further work on important parts of the system. And in Assessing reliability a reality check has to be made to
secure that simplification doesnt compromise quality of the results.
2.4.8

Detailed LCA

This is the full process of undertaking LCA. Detailed data is required focusing on the target of the LCA. It
requires extensive and in depth data collection. If the data is available generically, the data must be collected
specifically on the product.
The detailed LCA can be split into five stages:
1. Planning (The most important stage): State objectives, definition of product and alternatives, chose
system boundaries, chose environmental parameters,chose aggregation and evaluation method and strategy for data collection.
2. Screening: Preliminary execution of the LCA and adjustment of the plan.
3. Data collection and data treatment: Measurements, interviews, literature search, theoretical calculations, data base search, qualified guessing and computation of inventory table.
4. Evaluation : The classification of the inventory table into impact categories, aggregation within the
category (characterisation); normalisation and weighting of different categories (Valuation)
5. Improvement assessment: Sensitivity analysis and improvement priority and feasibility assessment
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2.4.9

Life Cycle Thinking (LCT)

End-of-pipe approach that uses clean-up technologies in reducing environmental impact is not in line with
sustainability because it transfers environmental burdens from one life stage to another or from one place to
another
Incremental ism approach (Eco-efficiency)] as in the case of clean technology /pollution prevention focuses
on increasing efficiency of process and reducing amount of pollution and not sustainability.
An adoption of a system approach that considers the whole life cycle of the activity is what constitutes
Life cycle thinking (LCT) also known as a cradle to grave approach.

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2.4.10

Potentially important diagrams

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15

2.5
2.5.1

Environmental Auditing
What is environmental auditing?

Environmental auditing is the process of testing organisations environmental performance against its own
environmental policies and objectives. It could be viewed as a methodological examination (tests, checks, and
confirmation) of procedures and practices to verify whether they conform to internal policies, accept practices
and legal requirements.
The definition according to the International Chamber of Commerce is: MANAGEMENT TOOL comprising a systematic, documented, periodic and objective evaluation of how well (1) environmental organisation,
(2) management and (3) equipment are performing with the aim of contributing to safeguarding the environment by facilitating management control of environmental practices. And assessing compliance with company
policies and regulatory requirements.
2.5.2

Environmental auditing characteristics

Management tool is a tool to assess, evaluate, manage environmental and sustainability issues. Please note
that there is a difference between EIA and environmental auditing. Environmental Audit assess environmental
performance of existing activity. EIA on the other hand is a tool to predict, evaluate and analyse environmental
impacts before the project commences or before making improvements or modifications.
Environmental auditing is a systematic process. It is carefully planned, structured and organised. It is a long
term process of evaluation and checking. It is also a process that is repeatable, replicable, comparable with
respects to both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Findings from environmental auditing are documented and verifiable. Findings on samples can track the past
findings. The document trails are used to verify verbal response.
The environmental auditing process is carried out at defined intervals. The track also changes over a period of
time.
Environmental auditing evaluates performance of: Environmental Organisation, Environmental Management
system (policies and structure), Environmental equipment)
The objective of evaluation is to remove the element of subjectivity. In other words it should be easy to expose unethical behaviour. Environmental auditing facilitates management control and environmental practices
which are in agreement with established procedures and set guidelines.
Environmental auditing has to be compliance with the company policies and regulatory requirements. Often
these requirements are for environmental performance to be greater than the minimum legal requirements.

2.5.3

Environmental auditing types

Environment management audits: environmental management systems

Environmental assessment: Used to check that an EIA compiles with the minimum legal requirements
Environmental compliance: Test compliance legal compliance and corporate compliance
Environmental assessment: Also checks to ensure that due legal process has been followed
Waste audits: Checking and verifying methods, procedures and systems.
Supplier audits: Contractors/Supplier credibility (can form part of a contract with the supplier).
Environmental due diligence audits: precursor of property
Sustainability and corporate responsibility
2.5.4

Development of Environmental Auditing

Motivations: Self disclosure, self policing to correct problems, for fear of persecution or higher penalties. ISO
14001 certification
Development of: Safety, healthy environment and quality auditing.

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Emergency of: Sustainability auditing, corporate social responsibility

SANS 19011, ISO19011,ISO14001: Auditing programmes, Responsibility and roles.
2.5.5

Auditing process

Pre-Audit
Objective
Scope
Planning
Pre-Audit meeting
Audit
Auditing meeting & Audit
Evaluate
Report
Post Audit
Decision
Action
2.5.6

Tools and Techniques (T&T) & Practicalities

T&T Checklists:
Questionnaires (Audit protocols)
Questioning
Observations
Photographs
Drill down Samples
Research background information
Practicalities:
Psychology of auditing
Fear of the unknown
Home territory
Emotions
Snapshot in Time
Quality control
Policing vs continuous improvement

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2.5.7

Environmental auditing and decision making

Transparency
Audit report distribution
Confidentiality
Stakeholder participation
Audit follow ups
Auditing and formal systems: ISO 14000 series ( 14004, 14010, 14011, 14012, 14041 (LCA) 14950 vocabulary)

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2.5.8

Potentially important diagrams

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2.6
2.6.1

Environmental Management Systems and ISO 14001

What is Environmental Management?

Environmental Management is about keeping control of activities to conserve natural resources (air, water ,
soil, fauna etc ) and avoid polluting them.
2.6.2

Environmental Management System/Strategy/Plan

It is a system/strategy/plan that is documented, detailing, at the highest management level, the environmental
policies of a company and the appropriate procedures for its implementation. It is one of the requirements for
ISO 14000 certifications and other environment programmes.
2.6.3

What is ISO 14001?

It is the International Organisation for standardisation (ISO) Environmental Management System standard
which is a cost effective OVERALL management system of the environmental impact of any production or
manufacturing process. It includes organisational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices,
procedures, processes and resources.
2.6.4

Clauses

Clause 4 is the key element of an EMS and is divided into 6 points:

4.1. General requirements: This clause states that all sections of the standard must be complied to
Development of environmental policy.
Prepare procedures and documentation.
Modify plans.

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 Plan for change.

Train staff.
Regular assessment of performance.
4.2. Goals-Set an Environmental Policy: It is a Written statement that is relevant to the activities, product and/or services rendered and their environmental impacts. It considers the organizations mission
and vision. This policy needs to be documented, communicated to staff and publicly available. It is
needed to show commitments.
For ISO 14001 in clause 4.2 it must include the following information
Commitment to continual improvement
Commitment to prevent pollution
Commitment to comply with relevant environmental regulations and any requirements.
Commitment to set and progress objectives and targets
A statement that the EMS is documented, implemented and maintained.
A statement that policy has been communicated to all employees
A statement that the policy is available to the public
4.3. Plan - Identify the baseline issues:
Environmental Aspects
Legal and Other Requirements
Objectives and Targets
Environmental Program
4.4. Do Develop and implement the policy:
Structure and responsibility.
Training, awareness and competence.
Communication.
EMS Documentation.
Document control.
Operational control.
Emergency preparedness and response.
4.5. Check - Conduct audit and management reviews:
Monitoring and measurement equipment to be calibrated
Non conformance and corrective and prevention action. System for handeling non compliances with investigation and corrective actions
Records must be kept and archiving requirements specified
EMS Audits
4.6. Act - Improve the management system: A meeting to review all components of the EMS to ensure
its continuing suitability for the needs and objectives of the organisation.

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2.6.5

Potentially important diagrams

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2.7
2.7.1

Low carbon Economy(Guest lecturer

Official reasons

Managing GHG risks

Identifying reduction opportunities
Mandatory GHG reporting programs
Voluntary GHG reporting programs
Participating in GHG markets
Recognition for early voluntary action
2.7.2

Company GHG quantification process

1. Organisational Boundaries which consist of: Equity Share, Financial Control , Operational Control
2. Operational Boundaries which consist of Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3
3. Identify GHG emissions sources
4. Select calculation approach
5. Collect data and choose emission factors
6. Calculate
7. Compare
2.7.3

Organisational Boundaries

A company accounts for GHG emissions if it has 100% financial control or operational control. A company
does not account for GHG emissions from operations which it owns an interest but does not have financial/operational control over it. However if the later is the case the company still accounts for the GHG
emissions but are included in scope 3 and account that much as they have interest in the company. (i.e. if 50%
owned then 50% of the emission)
2.7.4

Scopes

Scope 1: Direct GHG emissions. Anything effecting GHG emissions that is owned by the company. In other
words anything that the company does that directly to create GHG.
Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions by electricity.
Scope 3: Indirect GHG emissions. Basically if its not directly caused by something owned by the company
then it goes here (e.g. employee petrol, flights, paper procurement... these all cause GHG emissions but
the company has no control on how much or to what extent these emission are produced)

2.8

Sibus section

He said know your project... I dont like him that much... Sorry...

2.9

Conclusion

For those of you reading this feel free to share. It will be a good idea to go through the tut in class we did
regarding GHG and also to maybe read through the slides again.

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