Ecological Footprint at the Micro-Scale—How It Can Save Costs: The Case of ENPRO

Gergely Tóth, Cecília Szigeti, Gabor Harangozo and Dániel Róbert Szabó
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Gergely Tóth: Department of Economics and Finance, Faculty of Economic Science, Kaposvár University, 7400 Kaposvár, Hungary
Cecília Szigeti: Department of International and Theoretical Economics, Kautz Gyula Economics Faculty, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Győr, Hungary
Dániel Róbert Szabó: Department of Economic Analysis, Kautz Gyula Economics Faculty, Széchenyi István University, 9026 Győr, Hungary

Resources, 2018, vol. 7, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: The Ecological Footprint (EF) has become a very popular alternative indicator of development in the last three decades. It can be widely used to show the unsustainability of total and individual levels of consumption in countries. But can EF be a meaningful indicator at the micro level as well? This paper presents an argument on this issue. Based on a literature review including our own analysis and the correlation of EF with GDP and other alternative indicators, EF is evaluated at the macro level. Then, an original case study is presented, underpinning the applicability of EF on the company level, linking the ordinary corporate carbon footprinting with the EF method. Based on the findings, micro level EF calculations can help organizations in finding fields of intervention (inefficiencies and emission hotspots). EF accounting can also be used to evaluate the economic benefits of such measures after their realization.

Keywords: historical ecological footprint; corporate carbon footprint; human economics; sustainable development; ecological indicators; econometrics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jresou:v:7:y:2018:i:3:p:45-:d:161386

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