The Centre builds on the framework of activities developed under Imperial College’s Transition to Zero Pollution initiative. It brings together researchers from the Faculties of Engineering, Natural Sciences and the Business School and in partnership with the Global Challenge Institutes for Energy and Climate (Energy Futures Lab, Grantham Institute – Climate Change and Environment). Our activities are based on three research pillars: Carbon Management and Decarbonisation (Energy and Transport), CO2 Removal (Technology and Nature-based Solutions), and Socio-economic and Policy work. Our current work includes five projects sitting within these three themes.
Current projects
- Decarbonisation pathway eco-system (Carbon Accounting and Behaviour) - Phases 1 and 2
- Direct Air Capture, CO2 Utilization and Nature-based Systems to Enable a Truly Circular Society
- Beyond Carbon: Balancing Biodiversity and Bio-function
- Social Transition Challenges and Routes to Zero Carbon Society
Project Team
Prof Nilay Shah, Dr Mirabelle Muûls, Dr Antonio Del Rio Chanona, Dr Ralf Martin, Dr Nadin Moustafa, Dr Shefali Khanna
Description
Organisations are increasingly expected to set net zero targets, which will include evaluating both their own operations (Scope 1 & 2) and the emissions in their value chain (Scope 3). The CO2 footprint of the value chain often significantly exceeds that of their own operations. This project aims to provide tools for more accurately estimating carbon footprints and finding optimal decarbonisation solutions.
The project is split into 2 phases:
- Phase 1 will complete a broad multi-sector and global analysis of organisational carbon accounting and decarbonisation, by analysing current carbon accounting methodology, identifying best practices by organisations and current trends in how carbon footprints are calculated, as well as evaluating regulation and policy in this area. This will enable the identification of more focused, narrower research for Phase 2.
- Phase 2 will complete a deeper analysis of the challenges and opportunities related to organisational carbon accounting and decarbonisation to net zero. It will focus on identifying routes for decarbonisation in specific industry sectors and allow for an inventory of strategies to be created specifically for different industries.