The carbon footprint describes the climate load caused by a specific configurable entity. The carbon footprint can be calculated, for example, for a company, municipality, investment, product, or service.
The climate load is caused by the release of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CO4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) into the atmosphere. The carbon footprint is expressed in terms of carbon dioxide equivalents, considering the different global warming effects of different greenhouse gases.
When determining the carbon footprint, all direct and indirect emissions during a life cycle associated with a specific entity need to be taken into account. For example, in the case of a company or municipality, the carbon footprint can be determined per selected unit of time, such as a year.
The carbon footprint is expressed in terms of mass, either in tonnes, kilograms, or grams.