What is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint may seem like a complex concept that not everyone knows how to approach. Simply put, it is the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by an individual, organization, event, or product. It’s a form of ecological footprint because it reflects environmental changes, particularly climate change, in the form of easily presentable numerical data.

Greenhouse Gases and Their Environmental Impact

A carbon footprint includes six anthropogenic greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆). Although water vapor is the most common greenhouse gas, it isn’t included in the carbon footprint due to its short atmospheric lifespan.

CO₂ Equivalent: Simplifying for Clarity

While it might sound complicated, understanding a carbon footprint doesn’t require a chemistry background. Emissions from the six gases are expressed in a single unit—tCO₂e, or tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Different gases impact the environment to varying degrees, so a CO₂ equivalent unit was developed to compare emissions on a common scale. For instance, emitting one ton of methane equates to 25 tons of CO₂e.

How Does a Carbon Footprint Relate to the Greenhouse Effect?

The greenhouse effect occurs when heat is trapped within the Earth’s atmosphere. Naturally, the atmosphere acts as an insulator, allowing an appropriate amount of solar radiation to pass through and a suitable amount of heat to escape. However, an increase in greenhouse gases strengthens this natural effect, leading to global warming. The carbon footprint helps estimate how rapidly these gases impact the atmosphere, enabling goal setting and monitoring in environmental protection.

Basics of Calculating a Carbon Footprint

With the concept of a carbon footprint explained, we can now move to its calculation. Although it may seem complex at first, it is simpler than you might expect. The primary document that comprehensively addresses carbon footprinting is the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol). This standard is used worldwide by companies and organizations to calculate and report greenhouse gas emissions, with the advantages of transparency and consistency.

The GHG Protocol divides emissions into three scopes:

• Scope 1 - Direct emissions from a company’s own sources, such as fuel combustion in boilers or company vehicles.
• Scope 2 - Indirect emissions related to purchased energy, e.g., electricity used by the company.
• Scope 3 - Indirect emissions stemming from the company’s activities within its supply chain, e.g., emissions associated with suppliers, business travel, or waste disposal.

Step-by-Step Carbon Footprint Calculation

Not all companies are required to calculate emissions across all three scopes immediately, allowing a gradual approach to carbon footprinting. This stepwise approach can minimize the workload while achieving optimal results. Over 70% of total emissions are within Scope 3, which is also the most challenging to measure. Fortunately, for most small and medium enterprises, this scope will only become mandatory in upcoming years.

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