A carbon footprint is the total greenhouse gas emissions, direct and indirect, generated by a person, product, company or event, usually measured in tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. It’s calculated by adding up Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions under the GHG Protocol.
Why it matters: the footprint is the starting point for any climate target. Without measuring it, there is no way to prove a reduction or compare one year to the next.