What’s «carbon footprint»

The carbon footprint expresses in CO2 (carbon dioxide) equivalent the total amount of Greenhouse Gases emissions directly or indirectly associated to a product, an organization or a service.
In accordance with the Kyoto Protocol, the greenhouse gases included are the followings: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydro fluorocarbons (HFCSs), sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), perfluotinatedcarbons (PFCS). tCO2e (Tonnes of CO2 equivalent) is a measure for describing how much global warming a given type and amount of greenhouse gas may cause, using functionally equivalent amount or concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) as the reference: for example, methane is a greenhouse gas that has a stronger effect on climate change than CO2 (1t of methane has the same effect on climate change as 25t of CO2e).
The measurement of the carbon footprint of a product or process requires in particular the identification and the quantification of the consumption of raw materials and energy in selected phases of the life cycle of the product/process. In this regard, the experience of recent years suggests that the carbon footprint label is perceived by consumers as an index of quality and sustainability of enterprises. The companies, in addition to conducting the analysis and the accounting of CO2 emissions, are committed in establishiong a carbon management system aimed at the identification and implementation of interventions to reduce those emissions, cost-efficient technologies that use low-carbon. Reduction measures can be complemented by measures to neutralize the emissions (carbon neutrality), achievable through activities that aim to offset equivalent measures of emissions, which are economically more efficient or more usable in terms of image (eg. planting of trees, production of renewable energy, etc.).