What are Emission Factors?
An emission factor is a conversion metric that transforms activity data into greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data. For example:
Kilograms of CO₂e emitted per litre of fuel consumed
Kilograms of CO₂e emitted per kilometre travelled
Our Three-Pillar Approach to Emission Factors
To ensure the highest level of accuracy and reliability in our emissions calculations, Kinesis use a robust three-pillar approach to managing emission factors. This framework guarantees that our emission factors are accurate and maintain the highest standards of quality assurance.
1. Trusted Sources and Methodology
We source our emission factors exclusively from internationally recognised and respected organisations, including:
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Emissions Factor Database
Australian National Greenhouse Accounts (NGA) Factors
UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
2. Regular Review Process
To maintain accuracy and currency:
Annual updates occur in the first quarter
Previous years’ emission factors are systematically reviewed
Values are updated from primary sources
Climate Active certified sustainability advisors verify all changes
Customers receive email notifications about updates
3. Transparency and Assurance
We prioritise transparency through:
Clear documentation of calculation methodologies
Traceable source data
Verifiable emissions calculations
Support for auditor reviews
Available Emission Factor Libraries
Default Library
All users have automatic access to our default emission factor library, which contains comprehensive, industry-standard factors from trusted sources.
Custom Emission Factors
Custom emission factors can be implemented to supersede default values
These are particularly useful for organisation-specific or unique scenarios
To implement custom emission factors, please contact our Customer Success team at support@kinesis.org