Carbon Footprint Calculator

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions, primarily CO₂, produced directly or indirectly by a person, household, or organisation. It is measured in kilograms or tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e).

Meat and dairy production, particularly beef and lamb, are among the most emission-intensive foods due to methane from livestock digestion, land clearing, feed production, and refrigerated transport chains.

Aviation emits CO₂ directly at altitude, and the warming effect of contrails and NOx can effectively double the climate impact. A single long-haul return flight can add 1-3 tonnes CO₂e to your annual footprint.

The Paris Agreement implies reducing per-capita emissions to roughly 2 tonnes CO₂e per year by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5℃. The global average is currently 4.8 tonnes, and the US average is around 14-16 tonnes.

No. Emission factors vary significantly by country, especially for electricity, depending on the energy mix. Countries running on hydropower or nuclear have much lower electricity EFs than those relying on coal.

This calculator uses globally recognised average emission factors from the IEA and IPCC. It provides a reliable estimate, but individual results may vary based on local grid carbon intensity, vehicle type, and diet composition.

CO₂e is a standard metric that expresses the impact of all greenhouse gases (CO₂, methane, nitrous oxide, etc.) in terms of the equivalent amount of CO₂ that would cause the same warming over 100 years.

Solar panels generate electricity with near-zero operational emissions. Installing them reduces or eliminates your dependence on grid electricity, which is often generated from fossil fuels. The panels themselves take roughly 1-4 years to offset their manufacturing emissions.

It depends on your grid. In countries with high-coal electricity, an EV may only slightly outperform a petrol car. In regions with clean grids, an EV can reduce transport emissions by over 70%.

Research consistently shows the highest-impact personal actions are: eating less meat and dairy, avoiding one long-haul flight per year, switching to a renewable energy tariff, and living car-free or switching to an EV.

The textile industry is responsible for approximately 10% of global carbon emissions. A single cotton T-shirt uses around 2,700 litres of water and emits roughly 5-10 kg CO₂e in production. Fast fashion's rapid production cycles amplify this impact.

This tool is designed for individuals, but businesses can scale inputs proportionally. For detailed business carbon accounting, methodologies such as the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard are recommended.

A carbon offset is a purchase that funds projects reducing emissions elsewhere (tree planting, renewable energy, etc.). While offsets can complement reductions, they should not replace actual emission reductions. Quality varies greatly between providers.

Recycling reduces the need to extract and process virgin raw materials, which is energy-intensive. For example, recycling aluminium uses 95% less energy than producing it from bauxite ore.

The IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) is the most comprehensive source of peer-reviewed climate science. The IEA publishes annual energy and emissions data, and Project Drawdown ranks the most effective climate solutions.