Delivering Emission Reduction Targets

Carpooling—a commitment to reducing your CO2 emissions

Back in 2015, the Paris Accord was signed by 195 countries, including Australia. We ratified the agreement in 2016, which means a serious commitment to keeping the global temperature well below two degrees Celsius. By 2017, there were over 780 Australian registered businesses required to report on their energy use and emissions under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) Act.

And the momentum is growing, with a rising number of sustainability-conscious organisations deciding to report and reduce their emissions off their own bat—even though they’re not required to. But it’s a tough ask for the transport sector, which generates 24 per cent of global CO2 emissions. Available data suggest that commuters driving to and from work in Sydney’s CBD alone produce approximately 900 kilotonnes of CO2 each year.

When it comes to reducing transport emissions, there’s no doubt we need a behavioural change. For a start, take the case of the millions of single-occupancy vehicles that drive to and from their workplace each day.

If we’re going to reduce CO2 emissions, making the transition from low to high-occupancy commuting using carpooling, is a simple and obvious solution.

For organisations bound by reporting, carpooling is remerging as an innovative technology that actively increases their commitment to reducing emissions while providing tangible benefits to staff. Carpooling empowers and incentivises positive behavioural change and increases workplace connectivity. It also offers a powerful technology solution for the layer of commerce not bound by reporting obligations.

For these organisations, the benefits of taking on a new workplace system must outweigh the investment made and challenges presented by asking staff to shift their comfort zone.

By encouraging carpooling within your organisation, employers and employees will realise:

• reduced commuting costs for employees
• real-time CO2 data capture and reporting that aligns with sustainability targets
• a cultural change that results in increased engagement.

Liftango provides corporate carpooling and Demand-Responsive Transport solutions that enable organisations to strengthen workplace culture through a mutual mindset that prioritises the reduction of emissions.