Benchmarking, a tool for all

Philip009 — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:20:18 GMT

Everybody can understand and share the climate change solutions issue. While the United Nations experts and negotiators have gathered in Poznan for two weeks, consumers continue to experience issues with climate change. Most of them have to improve their insulation or to reduce their petrol consumption: all can understand it is time to react in a proper way with sustainable solutions. Cefic has just issued a cartoon for them to explain why the chemical industries promote benchmarking as a method of allocation of CO2 emission rights in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

This cartoon is a way to show that the benchmarking vs.auctioning debate is not a topic reserved for an elite of specialists. Using a humorous tone and serious arguments, the Jumping the climate change hurdle cartoon shows that we all benchmark when seeking the best value for money as we do our shopping. Comparing apples to apples is not so different an exercise than comparing CO2 performances in one industrial sector: it's still benchmarking.

Everybody can easily understand then that it is not fair to treat all performers regardless of their efforts and appropriate investments. Some simple and entertaining pictures provide explanations using metaphorical tools (such as sports ones) and showing that companies need to be competitive to provide innovative solutions for a sustainable climate solutions management. Additional CO2 expenses that would not be allocated to favour low carbon technologies would not help efficient climate change efforts… To avoid that, climate change is definitely the tool of choice… and the cartoon a way to combine fun and learning.

This cartoon is also an opportunity for European Industries to show that they are already setting good examples of good practices to the rest of the world. Without the Emissions Trading Scheme, they are reducing their own greenhouse gases emissions year after year . But to go on doing so, they need the right tool. Welcome on board.You can watch the cartoon on You Tube : http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=b1kf_axslfk or on Daily Motion : http://www.dailymotion.com/Aleria2008/video/x7lnjh_changement-climatique-du-boulot-pou_news

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Benchmarking, a tool for all