Chapter 01 · Climate & transitionClimate & Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Gross GHG emissions
Definition
Gross greenhouse-gas emissions are the total emissions within a stated inventory boundary before deductions for removals, carbon credits, avoided emissions or other instruments used to present a net result.
References
This reference provides supporting context for how “Gross GHG emissions” is defined and used.
Overview
How it is used
The term appears in climate strategies, transition plans, emissions inventories, scenarios and investment decisions, where governments, companies, investors and technical teams use it to classify, assess or communicate emissions reported before subtracting removals, offsets, avoided emissions or other balancing claims.
Its correct use depends on the relevant methodology, emissions boundary, baseline, timeframe and underlying data.
Why it matters
“Gross GHG emissions” matters because it can change the boundary, ambition or credibility of climate decisions and claims. If its boundary or evidence is unclear, different users may reach incompatible conclusions while appearing to use the same language.