Glossary term

greenhouse gas emission factor

An ISO 14067 factor used to translate activity data into greenhouse-gas emissions.

Officially defined term1 formal definition

What does greenhouse gas emission factor mean?

Greenhouse gas emission factor is the conversion factor used to translate activity data, material flows, or process inputs into associated greenhouse-gas emissions. It is not direct measurement, and its source and representativeness can materially affect the footprint result.

Source context

This page follows ISO 14067:2018. Emission factors are method inputs; they should be documented with source, geography, technology, time period, and applicability wherever possible.

Official definitions by source

ISO 14067:2018

ISO 14067:2018 - Greenhouse gases — Carbon footprint of products

GHG emission factor

Reference: 3.1.2.7

View official source

Regulatory context

This term originates in ISO 14067:2018 and/or ISO 14044 LCA methodology. It is used in EU product regulation — particularly under the EU Battery Regulation (PEF method for carbon footprint) and ESPR (environmental footprint) — because both regulations require lifecycle-based quantification of environmental impacts. Practitioners applying these regulations should be familiar with these LCA/PEF concepts to correctly scope, conduct, and verify product-level environmental assessments.

Practical application

Implementation records should capture the emission-factor source, activity data, representativeness record, calculation method, geography, technology coverage, time period, unit, and link to the inventory flow being calculated.

Minespider commentary

Greenhouse gas emission factor is a secondary-data conversion control: the evidence consequence is that estimated emissions remain auditable back to the source factor and activity data that created them.

Common confusions

  • Treating an emission factor as direct measurement from a facility.
  • Using generic factors without documenting geography, technology, or time period.
  • Changing emission-factor sources without versioning the resulting footprint calculation.

Related regulations