The Global Omium Marine Center Has Verified the Activities of its Daily Operations, Taking into Account Direct and Indirect Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Last November, Eugenio Calabuig, president of the Global Omnium group, presented the business action plan for the Seville Aquarium, which, in addition to projecting a new aquarium with renovated exhibition areas and improvements in hydraulic and energy efficiency, set out as one of its main objectives to calculate the carbon footprint of the center, and announced that it would be the first aquarium in the world to measure the impact of its activity on global warming.
The carbon footprint is the main environmental indicator of an activity, the indicator that allows quantifying the greenhouse gas emissions that are released into the atmosphere as a result of a specific activity. In the case of the Sevillian aquarium, activities related to its daily operation have been verified, taking into account direct emissions (mobile and fixed combustion) and indirect emissions (electricity consumption or consumables such as paper, species food, cafeteria purchases, business trips, or “merchandising” products sold).
In the process of calculating the carbon footprint, the first thing that was carried out was an in-depth analysis to understand the organization, so that the main points of improvement were identified both at an environmental and economic level. Just six months after Global Omnium purchased the Aquarium, and thanks to the commitment of the business group and the effort of the aquarium’s human team, they have managed to calculate, certify and register the carbon footprint with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment.
High technology at the service of the environment
To achieve this certification, the hydraulic and energy efficiency of the Aquarium has been improved. The high technology in water management provided by the Global Omnium group has been implemented in the technical areas in order to control these two essential ratios, in search of animal welfare and consumption reduction.
For the Seville Aquarium, this represents a great milestone in its history because it reaffirms its commitment to the environment. Not only for the reduction of greenhouse gases, but because by communicating to workers the impact on climate change of their daily work, they are provided with the necessary information so that they can adopt green purchasing and contracting criteria.
The carbon footprint certification gives a boost to its commitment to sustainability, because the carbon footprint has been calculated for each visitor, thus developing a sustainable activity that can be maintained over time.
Lastly, it means a clear improvement in its business reputation, as it is a project where Global Omnium is making a large investment to develop an activity with complete respect for the environment, going beyond carrying out a cultural, recreational and educational activity.
Climate change strategy
The certification of the carbon footprint is one of the basic pillars of the climate change strategy launched in recent months by the Seville Aquarium. A strategy that also contemplates the maximum reduction of waste generation through the “Zero Waste” model.
Another pillar of this climate change strategy is research, which aims to increase the resilience of our ecosystems, especially all those in the Guadalquivir river estuary environment.
The final pillar is conservation, which is carried out through projects to recover endangered species and prevent pollution of our ecosystems with elements that endanger the health of marine species.