The total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, product, organization, or activity, usually measured in CO2 equivalent.
Organizations commonly measure their carbon footprint using the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which divides emissions into three scopes. Scope 1 covers direct emissions, such as fuel burned in company vehicles. Scope 2 covers purchased electricity, heating, and cooling. Scope 3 covers everything else in the value chain, including suppliers, business travel, product use, and disposal, and is often the largest share.
For technology use, the footprint includes the electricity used by devices, networks, and data centers, as well as emissions from manufacturing hardware. For example, a company assessing its cloud and AI use might ask providers for emissions reports, choose regions powered by cleaner grids, and keep laptops in use longer. Measurement involves estimates and assumptions, so it is most useful for spotting the biggest sources and tracking progress over time.
Designing, using, and disposing of computers and IT systems in ways that reduce energy use and environmental impact.
Net ZeroA state in which the greenhouse gases an organization or country emits are balanced by the amount it removes from the atmosphere.
Power Usage EffectivenessA data center efficiency metric, known as PUE, that divides total facility energy use by the energy used by IT equipment alone.
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