What is CO₂e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent)?
A standard unit for measuring carbon footprints that expresses the impact of different greenhouse gases in terms of the amount of CO₂ that would create the same warming effect. This allows comparison of emissions from different sources.
Why it matters
CO₂e gives businesses a single, comparable metric for their total climate impact. Without it, comparing the warming effect of methane from waste against CO₂ from electricity would be impossible. Every credible carbon report expresses results in CO₂e.
Example
A brewery emits 10 tonnes of methane from wastewater treatment. Using the GWP conversion factor of 28, this is reported as 280 tCO₂e, making its significance clear alongside the 200 tCO₂e from electricity.
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