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Emissions & CarbonAlso: Carbon emissionsAlso: GHG footprint

What Is Carbon Footprint?

Definition

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including CO₂ and methane) generated by an individual, organization, event, or product, usually expressed in tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).

Understanding Carbon Footprint

Your carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by your activities. It includes emissions from energy use, transportation, food, consumption, and waste.

Average Carbon Footprints

  • Global average: ~4.8 tonnes CO₂e per person/year
  • United States: ~15.5 tonnes CO₂e per person/year
  • EU average: ~6.8 tonnes CO₂e per person/year
  • India: ~1.9 tonnes CO₂e per person/year

How to Reduce It

The most impactful actions include: switching to renewable energy, reducing car travel, eating less meat, and avoiding fast fashion. The Paris Agreement target requires reducing global per-capita emissions to ~2 tonnes by 2050.

Related Terms

Net Zero

Net zero means achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere and those removed, resulting in no net increase in atmospheric CO₂ levels.

Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions

Scope 1, 2, and 3 are categories defined by the GHG Protocol that classify greenhouse gas emissions by their source: direct operations (Scope 1), purchased energy (Scope 2), and value chain activities (Scope 3).

Carbon Neutral

Carbon neutral means that any CO₂ released into the atmosphere by an entity is balanced by an equivalent amount of CO₂ removed or offset, resulting in zero net carbon emissions for a defined period.

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