Mensuração das emissões de gases do efeito estufa e estratégias de mitigação: o caso da COELCE

Abstract

Climate change and its environmental, social and economic impacts are a major concern for both government and society, especially when we consider the studies that forecast increasing impacts with critical consequences for economy, society and even the life on the planet. This context also impacts the companies and influences their strategies. This work analyzes corporate risks and opportunities related to the adoption of a strategy for reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. It proposes the application of a framework for emissions reduction based on international protocols such as the GHG Protocol. This framework aims at helping companies in the search for solutions tha can bring both emissions reduction and benefits aligned with corporate strategies through risk mitigation and the identification of opportunities related to climate change. A case study has been conducted to validate the proposed approach. It has been conducted at Coelce, an energy distribution company located at Ceará. The study focus on the electric sector due to its major contribution to GHG emissions. The research is characterized as qualitative, exploratory and descriptive and has been conducted through a data gathering activity for developing an emissions inventory and through semi-structured interviews with several managers from Coelce. The work identifies the company’s major emissions sources and the manager’s perceptions and attitudes when facing stakeholder’s pressure, especially shareholders, consumers, NGOs and society along with the corporate and technological capacity for anticipating climate change risks. The study reveals that the company is inserted in a business environment where there is a low expectation of regulatory constraints and the government’s regulatory and control practices are still incipient. In parallel the managers do not recognize relevant opportunities and risks tha justify more aggressive investments in GHG reduction projects. It is demonstrated that Coelce follows an “evasive” strategy and explores the need for an effective engagement of government, company and society in the search for climate change mitigation strategies. Hence, based on the emissions inventory, GHG reduction projects have been proposed. These projects, besides environmental benefits, also bring financial benefits for the company as a way for adapting emissions reduction efforts to corporate strategies and stakeholders’s expectation.