Net Zero directory of terms
Carbon neutral:
The amount of CO2 released is balanced with the amount of CO2 removed. Usually, this involves cutting emissions as much as possible, and compensating for the remainder with carbon offsets.
Carbon offsets
Units generated by activities, like tree-planting or renewable energy projects, that mitigate carbon emissions.
Carbon neutral certified
In Australia, activities, businesses or buildings can be verified by a private-public initiative called Climate Active to prove they are carbon neutral.1
Embodied carbon
According to the World Green Building Council, building and construction together are responsible for 39% of global carbon emissions.2 Embodied carbon, or ‘upfront carbon’ refers to the carbon emitted during the construction process, including the processing and use of materials.
Operational carbon
The carbon that comes from heating, cooling, powering and operating buildings, and that contributes to 28% of the world’s carbon emissions.3
Carbon accounting
The process of quantifying, calculating and measuring carbon dioxide emissions and their equivalents. Though improvements to transparency, accountability and accuracy could be made, carbon accounting is still a useful tool for organisations to track their carbon emissions and thereby take steps to improve.
GHG Protocol
The accounting standard used by most organisations, created by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, a partnership between the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions are often divided into three categories that roughly correspond to how much influence a company has over them. Scope 1 emissions refers to greenhouse gas the company directly produces, e.g. company cars. Scope 2 emissions are those the company doesn’t produce, but is responsible for, e.g. the emissions produced for the company’s energy use. Scope 3 emissions are all those associated with the company and its activities, from suppliers to customers, even if the company isn’t directly responsible, e.g. greenhouse gases emitted by its suppliers, or emissions from customers.
