All the steps to calculate greenhouse gas emissions
Summary
To calculate greenhouse gas emissions, we need to define the scope of emissions, identifying direct and indirect sources (scopes 1, 2 and 3). Next, data must be collected and centralized. Finally, standardized methods, such as the GHG Protocol, are used to convert the data into CO2 equivalents and analyze the results.
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Why calculate greenhouse gas emissions?
Calculating greenhouse gas emissions enables organizations to comply with current environmental regulations, while anticipating future regulations. It also helps reduce energy costs by identifying sources of emissions and optimizing resources. What’s more, it reinforces the company’s brand image by demonstrating a concrete commitment to sustainable development.
Defining the scope of GHG emissions
The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is based on three categories, known as scopes:
Scope 1: This covers direct emissions from activities under the organization's control, such as the combustion of fossil fuels in vehicles or industrial facilities.
Scope 2: This covers indirect emissions linked to energy purchased and consumed, notably electricity, heat or steam.
Scope 3: Includes all other indirect emissions from the supply chain, business travel and waste. This is often the broadest scope, encompassing emissions both upstream and downstream of the organization's activities.
Collecting data to calculate emissions
Data collection is a crucial step in calculating greenhouse gas emissions. It begins by identifying the main sources of emissions, such as energy consumption (electricity, gas, fuel oil), transport (fleet vehicles, employee travel), industrial processes and the supply chain.
For each source, it is essential to gather reliable data. For example, electricity and fuel bills provide information on energy consumption. Suppliers can also provide data on their own emissions, particularly for indirect emissions (scope 3). Other information, such as kilometers traveled for business travel or volumes of waste generated, must also be collected.
To facilitate management of this data, we recommend centralizing all information in a dedicated tracking system, such as a spreadsheet or specialized software like D-Carbonize. This centralization not only ensures the accuracy of emissions calculations, but also simplifies updates and progress tracking. This guarantees a global and consistent view of the organization’s emissions.
How are GHG emissions calculated?
The calculation of greenhouse gas emissions is based on recognized methodologies, such as the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064. These frameworks provide standardized rules for collecting and processing data, ensuring that emissions are calculated in a consistent and transparent way. These methodologies use emission factors, which convert activity data (such as energy consumption or kilometers traveled) into CO2 equivalents (CO2e). The use of standardized methods is essential to guarantee the accuracy of results and enable comparability between companies or organizations.
To simplify and automate the calculation of GHG emissions, specialized software, such as D-Carbonize, is available. These tools facilitate data collection by automating extraction from invoices, corporate systems or suppliers. They then automatically calculate emissions using standardized emission factors, guaranteeing greater accuracy and speed in the results.
Using this type of software saves considerable time, reduces manual errors, and generates reports that comply with international standards. These tools also enable real-time monitoring of emissions, facilitating the implementation of effective and measurable reduction strategies.
Analyzing and interpreting emissions calculation results
Emissions calculation results are generally presented in tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e). This unit expresses the impact of different greenhouse gases in terms of their global warming potential. These results make it possible to identify the main sources of emissions within an organization’s activities.
By analyzing these sources, it is possible to define targeted reduction strategies, such as optimizing energy processes or reducing transport. This step is crucial in prioritizing the actions to be taken.
The next step is to set reduction targets based on the results obtained, so that progress can be monitored over time. These targets must be realistic and measurable to ensure continuous improvement of the carbon footprint and meet the requirements of environmental regulations.
