Identifying Effective Management Instruments and Human Behavioural Changes to Manage Energy Use and Abate Emissions at Firm Level

Abstract

Despite recent efforts to reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) at the national level, the negative environmental impacts of GHGs are likely to increase more in the future, especially at the level of the company. This paper presents an extension to current integrated management efforts with traditional assessments to improve current situations. The extension can be used to determine strategies of cost-effectiveness to control emissions and achieve environmental goals in reducing concentrations of GHGs. Methods developed to demonstrate significant cost savings in companies and sectors are command and control (CAC), and innovation; these instruments can contribute to the allocation of emission controls when market instruments do not fully work. To achieve further GHG emission reductions, improvements to behavioural change regarding the use of energy are an emerging area of research that has significant implications for policy. There is increasing evidence that human behaviour has been producing environmental problems. This paper introduces elements and interventions that could affect that behaviour. Governments and businesses have agreed that there is a need for more emphasis on proper assessment of behavioural change interventions. Therefore, increasing efficiency and reducing barriers within marginal abatement cost curves (MACCs) has improved the results for the management of abatement energy and emissions at firm level.