Carbon
Carbon is a very abundant chemical element, like hydrogen, oxygen, lead or any of the others in the periodic table. They are the basic building blocks of humans, animals, plants and soil. In the context of climate change, “carbon” is the shorthand of carbon dioxide; it becomes carbon dioxide (CO2) when each atom of carbon joins with two atoms of oxygen, forming the primary greenhouse gas (GHG) that enters the atmosphere through human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and solid waste. When you see CO2e, this denotes carbon dioxide equivalent, which is the carbon dioxide equivalent of any of the greenhouse gases individually or in aggregate.
Carbon Neutral
At a global level, carbon neutrality is defined as a state in which CO2 emissions are balanced by CO2 removal over a specific period (IPCC, SR15). At a corporate level, the term is often used with a different meaning. The PAS 2060, the most widely used standard internationally, defines carbon neutrality as the achievement of the previously defined emissions reduction target, combined with the purchase of carbon credits to offset residual emissions over a specified period.
Net Zero
At a global level, net zero emissions are achieved when GHG emissions from human activities to the atmosphere are balanced by anthropogenic removals, meaning withdrawal of GHGs from the atmosphere as a result of deliberate human activities over a specified period (IPCC, SR15). For an organisation, being net zero means (1) having reduced its GHG emissions in line with a 1.5°C warming trajectory and having come as close to zero emissions as possible and (2) having extracted from the atmosphere an amount of CO2 equivalent to the residual emissions of the specified period.
Carbon Offset
A carbon offset is a tradable instrument that represents the avoidance or removal of one tonne of CO2 or an equivalent amount of another GHG. One unit of carbon offset or carbon credit is equal to one metric ton of CO2e. Carbon offset schemes allow individuals and companies to invest in environmental projects around the world in order to balance out their own carbon footprint. They are used to offset unavoidable or hard-to-abate emissions as a part of integrated carbon management strategy and retired on recognised registries to avoid double counting.
YTL’s Path to Decarbonisation
In response to the need to further decarbonise, YTL Group has stated our ambition to be carbon neutral by 2050 in our operations, with individual aims set by our subsidiaries: Wessex Water, Malayan Cement Bhd and YTL PowerSeraya. Each company has set their own emission reduction initiatives towards decarbonisation.
Wessex Water
Net Zero by 2030
Net Zero Total Emissions by 2040
- Reducing volumes of water and sewage
- Catchment management or nature-based solutions
- Avoiding transport emissions
- Avoiding fossil fuel use
- Asset maintenance
Malayan Cement Bhd
Carbon Neutral by 2050
- Improve energy and production efficiency
- Use of low carbon fuels and waste as alternative fuels
- Waste heat recovery to recover waste energy for electric generation
- Use of recycled materials as alternative raw materials
- Optimise clinker substitution
YTL PowerSeraya
60% GHG emissions reduction from power plant operations by 2030
Carbon Neutral by 2050
- Progressively switching from heavy fuel oil to less carbon-intensive natural gas
- Investments in energy efficient power generation plants with co-generation capabilities
- Periodic maintenance to improve power plant efficiency
