Application of carbon footprint analysis to evaluate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from road transportation : a case study of Federal Territory of Putrajaya

Abstract

In tandem with rapid urbanization, transportation sector plays as a major consumer to energy consumption; indicating the heavily dependent on fossil fuel which have relatively high carbon intensity thus contribute to the significant increment in emission of greenhouse gas (GHG) mainly carbon dioxide (CO2) from the sector. Consequently, the term carbon footprint has become widely used over the last few decades in response to an abatement action against the threat of global climate change due to CO2 emissions. Hence, the research aims to explore an application of Carbon Footprint Analysis as an environmental accounting tool to evaluate CO2 emissions from transportation source. Three objectives formulated are (i) to explore the causal-relationship of CO2 emissions from road transportation and its relation to carbon footprint concept, (ii) to measure CO2 emissions from road transportation, and (iii) to employ Carbon Footprint Analysis to evaluate the environmental implications of road transportation CO2 emissions. A mixed method approach of sequential exploratory strategy with documentation reviews, interviews and travel diary survey were used as methods of data collection. Using the Federal Territory of Putrajaya as a case study site, the research attempts to stimulate the problems of CO2 emissions in the context of assessing the CO2 emissions from road transport and appraise the emissions in response to Putrajaya Green City (PGC) 2025. In the first phase of data analysis, an emissions inventory conducted based on operational boundaries delineated according to World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) GHG Protocol for Scope 1 and Scope 3. Using the distance-based method, the results shows the CO2 emissions for Scope 1 is 15,090.8 t/CO2/year while Scope 3 emission is is 334,477.9 t/CO2/year. It revealed that 87.03% of CO2 emissions attribute from commuting activities due to the dominance of car as the preferred mode of transport. Carbon footprint analysis performed in the second stage using component-based approach which inherent ecological footprint concept to evaluate demand for energy land required to sequester the emissions from built land. The carbon footprint in Putrajaya was calculated to be 3,772.7 ha per year. Besides, carbon footprint per person in Putrajaya accounted for 0.004 ha per person. This implies that area demanded for providing transport infrastructure used is not exceeding area supplied by ecosystem generative capacity. In other words, carbon footprint in Putrajaya is still small and did not exceed or overshoot biocapacity. Aggregate indicator of footprint therefore can be viewed as a benchmark of environmental performance of Putrajaya towards the planning for Low Carbon City (LCC).