Glossary

Carbon footprint

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), released into the atmosphere either directly or indirectly as a result of an individual’s, organization’s, event’s, or product’s activities. The carbon footprint is measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e), which allows for the inclusion of a variety of greenhouse gases with different global warming potentials.

The main sources of a carbon footprint include the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation, heating and transportation, emissions from industrial processes and manufacturing activities, emissions associated with food production (including livestock farming and crop cultivation), as well as emissions from waste decomposition in landfills and waste incineration processes.

The carbon footprint is an important tool for assessing and managing the impact of human activities on global warming and climate change.