Greenhouse Gas CO₂e Calculator

Why convert emissions to CO₂ equivalent?

Climate science tracks dozens of gases, yet policymakers and companies need a single yardstick to compare their warming impact. CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) fills that role by translating each gas into the amount of carbon dioxide that would trap the same heat over a defined timeframe. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change publishes global warming potentials (GWPs) that quantify how potent each gas is relative to CO₂. Multiplying the mass of a gas by its GWP and summing the contributions yields the total CO₂e:

GWP values incorporate both radiative efficiency (how strongly a gas absorbs infrared radiation) and atmospheric lifetime (how long it persists). Methane warms the atmosphere aggressively but breaks down in about a decade, while nitrous oxide lingers for over a century. CO₂ is less potent on a per-kilogram basis but accumulates over centuries. Together they represent the majority of emissions inventories, making CO₂e a practical shorthand for climate dashboards.

Converting to CO₂e helps organizations compare mitigation strategies. Capturing landfill methane, optimizing fertilizer use, or electrifying vehicle fleets can all be weighed on the same CO₂e scale. Communicating results becomes easier, too: a school can explain that a retrofit avoided the equivalent of hundreds of kilograms of CO₂, while a utility can benchmark the carbon price needed to favor low-carbon technologies.

Continue your analysis with the Carbon Footprint Calculator, the Air Travel Carbon Estimator, and the Personal Carbon Allowance Planner to translate emission totals into budgets, travel choices, and lifestyle adjustments.