As part of our ongoing commitment to providing the most accurate and up-to-date carbon accounting calculations, we are updating the emission factor used in the methodology for ‘Fugitive emissions: Number of cooling equipment units’.
This update aligns our platform with the latest global warming potential (GWP) values from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report (AR6).
Key Details:
The emission factor for the ‘Fugitive emissions: Number of cooling equipment’ method will be updated from 2024 onwards to reflect the newest GWP values from AR6.
All emissions data for 2024 using this method will be automatically and retroactively updated.
On average, this update will increase emissions related to this calculation method by approximately 14%.
The update will take effect on September 26th 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What are emission factors?
Each emission calculation always requires a coefficient called an ‘emission factor’ that expresses the average emission rate of a given source, relative to units of activity or process. As emission factors relate to the specific activities associated with generating those emissions, they can greatly vary for different geographic regions and timeframes.
How do emission factors affect emission calculations?
As recommended by the GHG Protocol, we use the activity data you provide and match it with relevant emission factors to calculate the total emissions of each activity.
What sources does Plan A use for emission factors?
Our main sources for emission factors are national-level emission factor databases reported to the IPCC, nation-specific peer-reviewed scientific research articles, established databases and renowned studies such as those by the Umweltbundesamt (UBA). For ‘Fugitive emissions: Number of cooling equipment’ we use global warming potential (GWP) values from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Will this change affect my 2023 emissions?
No, this change will not impact emissions from previous years. It will only be applied to data from 2024 onwards that use the ‘Fugitive emissions: Number of cooling equipment’ calculation method.
Is any action required from me?
No, this change will be applied automatically. No action is needed from you.