American International Journal of Social Science

A Study on Developing the Indicators of Energy Conservation and Carbon Reduction for Business
Ching-Hua Lu, Ying-Chyi Chou, Chia-Han Yang, Chisi Hwu, Pei-Chun Wang

Abstract
Global warming and climate change have raised the awareness and concern about the issue of energy consumption and CO2 emissions of business. Although energy conservation and carbon reduction has been widely recognized as an effective solution to cope with climate change, but the aspect of CO2 emission reduction still has not been incorporated in the mainstream business. Accordingly, the current study aims to develop and compute the weight of indicators of energy conservation and carbon reduction from business perspectives. This research acquires relatively more important criteria in business through the Delphi Method and reviewing literature, resulting in six major dimensions and eighteen criteria. The questionnaire was provided for each of the businesses that concern energy conservation and carbon reduction. Finally, this study combines AHP with DEMATEL to analyze the priority and causal relationships of the carbon reduction. The results generated by AHP show that three major criteria including reducing energy consumption, improving energy efficiency, and promoting energy conservation education should be placed in highest priorities, while the results provided by DEMATEL show that energy management systems of improving energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy to reduce energy consumption are the two most worthy criteria to be emphasized and improved for carbon reduction by observing the causal relationships. Following the constructed indicators, the business firms have a clearer and easier template to contribute to the environment and society.

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