Downstream transportation and distribution emissions are the greenhouse gas emissions arising from the transport and distribution of materials and products from your organisation's tier 1 suppliers to your own operations in vehicles not owned or operated by you.
This includes emissions from various modes of transport, such as trucks, ships, trains, and planes, as well as energy used in warehouses and distribution facilities. There are multiple downstream transportation and distribution calculation methods to choose from.
For Downstream transportation emissions, you can use:
The Distance and mass method calculates emissions based on distance, freight, vehicle type, and weight of mass transported. It is available for road, rail, air, and sea freight. This is the recommended Downstream transportation calculation method as it is the most accurate.
The Origin and destination and mass transported method uses the location of the transport's origin and destination, as well as the mass of goods transported, to calculate emissions. It is available for road, rail and air freight.
The Distance method calculates emissions based on distance, freight, vehicle type, and fuel type used. It is available for road freight only.
The Origin and destination method uses the location of the origin and destination of the transport to calculate emissions. It is available for road freight only.
The Spend-based method calculates emissions based on the spend per transportation type. It is available for road, rail, air, and sea freight.
The Bring Your Own Emissions method allows you to upload your own pre-calculated emissions to the Plan A platform.
For Downstream distribution emissions, you can use:
The Logistic hubs: Average data method can be used to calculate emissions related to the movement of goods through logistic hubs (distribution centres) downstream. You will need data on the mass or area of goods transported, the type of freight used, the logistic hub type, and the temperature control required.
The Spend-based method can also be used to calculate emissions based on the spend per warehousing and storage.
The Bring Your Own Emissions method allows you to upload your own pre-calculated emissions to the Plan A platform.
Keep in mind that Plan A always recommends the most accurate method for each emission category, and in the case of transportation, the Distance calculation methods are the most accurate methods. While we do offer the spend-based calculation method, this is the least accurate method and we thus encourage you to use it as a place holder until more accurate business activity data can be uploaded.
To understand more about picking the right calculation method, have a look at the Guidelines from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and read the Choose a Calculation Method article.
Notes on spend-based data:
In your spend data, you may notice some negative figures, reflecting refunds. These should still be included in your data upload so that previously reported emissions relating to refunded goods can be deducted from your carbon balance accordingly. Negative spend data will be reflected as negative emissions values in the month the refund was given.