Carbon emissions- If you can’t measure them, you can’t manage them

by Kathryn Corrick

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”, is an oft used and misused quote in business, attributed to the business management theorist Peter Drucker (points to anyone who can actually find when and where he actually said it) and attributed to a certain style of management consultancy.

The Labour government has often, and in many cases rightly, been criticized for taking such measurement + management sentiments to the max with target driven policies. Yet there is one new initiative where such thinking is desperately needed otherwise it is doomed to only go as far as any good PR person can take it – the media and no further.

To make matters worse the big launch of this project, supported by the Guardian, has all the veneer of measurement – or at least a target – in its title.

Yes, 10:10. Ten percent by Twenty Ten. http://www.1010uk.org/

For those readers unaware, this climate change initiative, with plaudits from the great and good, launched earlier this week, asking the people, businesses and organizations of the UK to pledge to cut their emissions by ten percent in 2010.

VIDEO HERE

According to the 10:10 website, 10:10 was prompted by actor Pete Postlethwaite ambushing the Minister for Climate Change, Ed Miliband, with a giant pledge. “If you commission a new dirty coal power station then I promise to never vote Labour again – and give back my OBE”.

And so the myth begins.

The Ten Percent target appeals. It is a clear goal, and many of us are incentivised by goals. In fact the 2010 appeals, it has a ring. Top marks for branding. But the campaign lacks very simple, but essential set of elements for success:

• How do I as an individual or business know my current carbon emissions?
• How do I as an individual accurately measure my decrease in carbon emissions?

Ie. How does any individual or business signing the pledge know if they have made their ten percent or how they are doing on route?

Giving people tips on how to cut their energy usage is all well and good but there are a litany of campaigns that have already tried this method, why should 10:10 (other than having a bit more money, nice branding and welly) be any different?

But across Whitehall, or Victoria Street, an answer may lie. When he was at DEFRA older brother David started support for work a few years ago that is now beginning to flex its muscles.

AMEE, the Avoiding Mass Extinctions Engine, otherwise known as “the world’s energy meter” has been working with the government for a number of years. Its data was used to launch the government’s own Act On CO2 campaign launched back in 2007 – where incidentally you can calculate your carbon footprint.

AMEE provides “a common platform for all kinds of energy profiling and measurement, thus enabling accurate carbon footprinting”. To do so, they have collated data.

What’s more the data is open, it’s a bit like a Wikipedia for carbon data with tight peer review. A standard set of data came from the initial work for Defra and Act On CO2 but this is added to as the project develops. The data is now being used and added to by companies such as Google, Morgan Stanley and the Irish government.

Recently AMEE launched Real Time Carbon. It shows visitors in real-time the amount of pollution output by all the electricity generated for the National Grid, as it changes through the day. The tool is designed to encourage people to use electricity when it is at its greenest. Until recently this measurement was only a single static figure given each year by the government. Such data enables decision making.

When it comes to enabling decisions and incentivising individuals to cut their carbon emissions 10:10 could also do no worse than have a glance over at Nike. Yes, the sportswear manufacturers. A few years ago they brought out an iPod Sports Kit – a personal trainer that monitored and helped you with your running, using data collected in real-time from a shoe insert, all to your favourite music. As well as playing music the software gives you your time, distance, pace, and calories burned as you run. The data is then uploaded to your computer to monitor progress, and for further tips on how to improve.

The system has proved incredibly successful for Nike and lifted sales but it also clearly shows a structure for helping people to change an aspect of their lives:

• a clear goal
• a way to benchmark and measure progress
• success criteria and motivations via music.
• tips on how to improve
• rewards for reaching the goal

If 10:10 is to be more than a PR exercise then the initiative needs to consider these aspects as well as using work and research already paid for by government. Whilst 10:10 has clearly laid down the goal it will need to do a lot more if it is to truly succeed.

Related posts:

1. A roadmap to a low carbon Britain