1、CARBONFOOTPRINTCURRENTMETHODSOFESTIMATIONPANDEYD,AGRAWALM,PANDEYJSABSTRACTINCREASINGGREENHOUSEGASEOUSCONCENTRATIONINTHEATMOSPHEREISPERTURBINGTHEENVIRONMENTTOCAUSEGRIEVOUSGLOBALWARMINGANDASSOCIATEDCONSEQUENCESFOLLOWINGTHERULETHATONLYMEASURABLEISMANAGEABLE,MENSURATIONOFGREENHOUSEGASINTENSIVENESSOFDIFF
2、ERENTPRODUCTS,BODIES,ANDPROCESSESISGOINGONWORLDWIDE,EXPRESSEDASTHEIRCARBONFOOTPRINTSTHEMETHODOLOGIESFORCARBONFOOTPRINTCALCULATIONSARESTILLEVOLVINGANDITISEMERGINGASANIMPORTANTTOOLFORGREENHOUSEGASMANAGEMENTTHECONCEPTOFCARBONFOOTPRINTINGHASPERMEATEDANDISBEINGCOMMERCIALIZEDINALLTHEAREASOFLIFEANDECONOMY,
3、BUTTHEREISLITTLECOHERENCEINDEFINITIONSANDCALCULATIONSOFCARBONFOOTPRINTSAMONGTHESTUDIESTHEREAREDISAGREEMENTSINTHESELECTIONOFGASES,ANDTHEORDEROFEMISSIONSTOBECOVEREDINFOOTPRINTCALCULATIONSSTANDARDSOFGREENHOUSEGASACCOUNTINGARETHECOMMONRESOURCESUSEDINFOOTPRINTCALCULATIONS,ALTHOUGHTHEREISNNOMANDATORYPROVI
4、SIONOFFOOTPRINTVERIFICATIONCARBONFOOTPRINTINGISINTENDEDTOBEATOOLTOGUIDETHERELEVANTEMISSIONCUTSANDVERIFICATIONS,ITSSTANDARDIZATIONATINTERNATIONALLEVELARETHEREFORENECESSARYPRESENTREVIEWDESCRIBESTHEPREVAILINGCARBONFOOTPRINTINGMETHODSANDRAISESTHERELATEDISSUESKEYWORDSCARBONFOOTPRINTDIRECTEMISSIONSEMBODIE
5、DEMISSIONSGREENHOUSEGASESINTRODUCTIONTHEINTERGOVERNMENTALPANELONCLIMATECHANGEIPCCINITSFOURTHASSESSMENTREPORTHASSTRONGLYRECOMMENDEDTOLIMITTHEINCREASEINGLOBALTEMPERATUREBELOW2CASCOMPAREDTOPREINDUSTRIALLEVELIE,MEASUREDFROM1750TOAVOIDSERIOUSECOLOGICALANDECONOMICTHREATSARISEINTEMPERATUREBY074CHASALREADYB
6、EENRECORDEDANDHENCECLIMATESCIENTISTSAREFOCUSINGONANURGENTACTIONTOCURBGLOBALWARMINGIPCC2007KERR2007THEIMBALANCESCAUSEDINNATURALSYSTEMSDUETOWARMINGAREALREADYBEINGSIGNALEDINTHEFORMOFEXTREMEWEATHEREVENTSANDCLIMATECHANGETHEMOUNTAINOUSSNOWCOVER,PERMAFROST,ANDGLACIERSAREMELTINGANDGREENLAND,ANTARCTIC,ANDARC
7、TICICEPACKSAREEXPERIENCINGAINTRODUCTIONTHEINTERGOVERNMENTALPANELONCLIMATECHANGEIPCCINITSFOURTHASSESSMENTREPORTHASSTRONGLYRECOMMENDEDTOLIMITTHEINCREASEINGLOBALTEMPERATUREBELOW2CASCOMPAREDTOPREINDUSTRIALLEVELIE,MEASUREDFROM1750TOAVOIDSERIOUSECOLOGICALANDECONOMICTHREATSARISEINTEMPERATUREBY074CHASALREAD
8、YBEENRECORDEDANDHENCECLIMATESCIENTISTSAREFOCUSINGONANURGENTACTIONTOCURBGLOBALWARMINGIPCC2007KERR2007THEIMBALANCESCAUSEDINNATURALSYSTEMSDUETOWARMINGAREALREADYBEINGSIGNALEDINTHEFORMOFEXTREMEWEATHEREVENTSANDCLIMATECHANGETHEMOUNTAINOUSSNOWCOVER,PERMAFROST,ANDGLACIERSAREMELTINGANDGREENLAND,ANTARCTIC,ANDA
9、RCTICICEPACKSAREEXPERIENCINGANEGATIVEMASSBALANCECAUSINGTHESEALEVELTORISEATARATEOF3MMYEAR1KERR2006RIGNOTANDKANAGARATNAM2006IPCC2007OWINGTOSUCHCOMPLEXCHANGESINNATURALPHENOMENA,ITHASBEENPROJECTEDTHAT12BILLIONADDITIONALPEOPLEWILLBEUNDERWATERSTRESS,CROPPRODUCTIVITYINMIDLATITUDESWILLSUFFERLOSS,ANDWILDLIFE
10、ANDBIODIVERSITYWILLBETHREATENEDKERR2007ONSOCIALFOREFRONT,DEVELOPINGANDPOORCOUNTRIESAREATIMMEDIATEANDDISPROPORTIONATELYHIGHRISKOFBEINGADVERSELYAFFECTEDBYGLOBALWARMINGANDTHUSTHE“MILLENNIUMDEVELOPMENTGOAL”OFERADICATINGPOVERTYMAYBECOMPROMISEDUNDP2007“THEWORLDISRUNNINGSHORTOFTIMEANDOPTION”ATSOCIALANDECON
11、OMICFRONTINVIEWOFHIGHRISKSRELATEDWITHGLOBALWARMINGANDCLIMATECHANGESTERN2006STRONGANDIMMEDIATELOCALTOINTERNATIONALACTIONSARETHUSNEEDEDTOSTABILIZEEMISSIONSINAJUSTIFIEDMANNERASTHEUNDERSTANDINGOFTHESCIENCEANDCONSEQUENCESOFGLOBALWARMINGGREW,THECONCERNFORPREVENTINGDISASTROUSCLIMATECHANGELEDTOASUBSTANTIVEA
12、CTIONINTHEFORMOFENDORSEMENTOF“KYOTOPROTOCOLIN1997WHICHREQUIRESDEVELOPEDECONOMIESORECONOMIESINTRANSITIONLISTEDINITSANNEXUREITOREDUCETHEIRCOLLECTIVEEMISSIONSOFSIXIMPORTANTGREENHOUSEGASESGHGSNAMELYCARBONDIOXIDECO2,METHANECH4,NITROUSOXIDEN2O,SETOFPERFLUOROCARBONS,ANDHYDROFLUOROCARBONSBYATLEAST52ASCOMPAR
13、EDTO1990LEVELDURINGTHEPERIOD20082012UN1998THEGASESCOVEREDUNDERKYOTOPROTOCOLAREREFERREDCOLLECTIVELYAS“KYOTOGASES”WRI/WBCSD2004THISPROTOCOL,HOWEVER,HASNOTRECEIVEDEQUALSUPPORTFROMALLTHENATIONSANDSOMEDIDNOTRATIFYITGIVINGREASONSTHATTHEIRECONOMIESMAYSUFFERLOSSHOWEVER,ACRITICALREVIEWOVERIMPACTSOFACTINGORNO
14、TACTINGAGAINSTCLIMATECHANGECARRIEDOUTBYSTERN2006LEDTOTHECONCLUSIONTHAT“THEBENEFITSOFSTRONGEARLYACTIONCONSIDERABLYOUTWEIGHTHCOSTS”ITWASPREDICTEDTHATNOTACTINGIMMEDIATELYWILLCOSTATLEAST5OFGLOBALGROSSDOMESTICPRODUCTGDPLOSSANNUALLYWHILEANNUALINVESTMENTEQUIVALENTTO1OFGLOBALGDPMAYHELPINLIMITINGTEMPERATURER
15、ISEBELOW2COTHERWISEITWOULDBEIMPOSSIBLETOREVERTTHECHANGESEMISSIONSOFKYOTOGASESNEEDTOBECUTBY25BELOWTHECURRENTLEVELBY2050SOTHATTHEGROWTHOFCOUNTRIESISNOTCOMPROMISEDGREENHOUSEGASSOURCESRAPIDRISEINGLOBALTEMPERATUREISDUETOTHE“ENHANCEDGREENHOUSEEFFECT”IE,THEGREENHOUSEEFFECTADDITIONALTOTHENATURALDUETOHUMANIN
16、DUCEDRELEASEOFGHGSINTOTHEATMOSPHERENOTALLGHGSHAVEEQUALCAPACITYTOCAUSEWARMINGBUTTHEIRSTRENGTHSDEPENDONRADIATIVEFORCINGITCAUSESANDTHEAVERAGETIMEFORWHICHTHATGASMOLECULESTAYSINTHEATMOSPHERECONSIDERINGTHESETWOTOGETHER,THEAVERAGEWARMINGITCANCAUSE,KNOWNASGLOBALWARMINGPOTENTIALGWP,ISCALCULATEDMATHEMATICALLY
17、ANDISEXPRESSEDRELATIVETOTHATOFCO2THEREFORE,UNITOFGWPISCARBONDIOXIDEEQUIVALENTCO2EIMPORTANTCONTRIBUTORSTOGLOBALWARMINGAREKYOTOGASES,WHOSEEMISSIONSINCREASEDBY70DURING19702004IPCC2007INADDITIONTOTHESESIXGASES,THEMEMBERSOFCHLOROFLUOROCARBONSFAMILYBEARVERYHIGHGWP,BUTSINCETHEIREMISSIONSHAVEBEENCONTROLLEDS
18、UCCESSFULLYUNDERMONTREALPROTOCOL,THEYARENOLONGERAPROBLEMTROPOSPHERICOZONEANDBLACKCARBONHAVEALSOBEENFOUNDTOWARMTHETROPOSPHERETHERATESOFINCREMENTINGHGCONCENTRATIONSAREEXTRAORDINARILYHIGH,FAREXCEEDINGTHENATURALRANGEASEVIDENTFROMGEOLOGICALANDICECORESTUDIESIPCC2007THEBIGGESTSHAREOFTHESEGHGSCOMESFROMFOSSI
19、LFUELCOMBUSTIONSINTHEFORMOFCO2586NEXTCOMECH4ANDN2OCONTRIBUTINGTO143AND79,RESPECTIVELY,TOTOTALCOLLECTIVECO2EMAJORSOURCESOFTHESETWOGASESARETHEAGRICULTURALSYSTEMSIPCC2007INORDERTOCOMPLYWITH2CTARGET,THEATMOSPHERICSTOCKOFGHGSNEEDSTOBESTABILIZEDBELOW550PPMINTERMSOFCARBONDIOXIDEEQUIVALENTS,OFWHICH430PPMHAS
20、BEENATTAINEDIN2007PAGE2008THEREFOREGHGINVENTORIESAREGOINGONALLOVERTHEWORLDANDEVERYPOSSIBLEMETHODTOCONTROLTHEMAREBEINGRECOGNIZEDANDEVALUATEDASTHECLIMATECHANGEISSUESBECAMEPROMINENTONPOLITICALANDCORPORATEAGENDA,GENERALPUBLICESPECIALLYINDEVELOPEDCOUNTRIESSTARTEDRECOGNIZINGTHEIRRESPONSIBILITYTOWARDSTAKIN
21、GACTIONAGAINSTGLOBALWARMINGGOODALL2007THESECONCERNSANDMEDIAHAVEPROVIDEDTREMENDOUSPOPULARITYTOQUANTIFICATIONOFTHECONTRIBUTIONOFVARIOUSACTIVITIESTOGLOBALWARMINGUSUALLYREPRESENTEDINTERMSOF“CARBONFOOTPRINT”HOWEVER,INFORMATIONAVAILABLEONCARBONFOOTPRINTINGBESETWITHUNCERTAINTYANDINCONSISTENCYSCHIERMEIER200
22、6WIEDMANNANDMINX2007KENNYANDGRAY2008PADGETTETAL2008THEOBJECTIVEOFTHEPRESENTREVIEWISTOSYSTEMATICALLYANALYZETHERELEVANTAVAILABLEINFORMATIONONGLOBALWARMING,GHGEMISSIONSANDCHARACTERISTICS,CARBONFOOTPRINTINGCONCEPTS,CALCULATIONOFCARBONFOOTPRINTS,METHODOLOGYFOLLOWEDFORESTIMATION,ANDUSESOFTHISBYGENERALPUBL
23、IC,CORPORATESECTOR,INDUSTRIES,ANDGOVERNMENTSCONCEPTOFCARBONFOOTPRINTORIGINOFCARBONFOOTPRINTCANBETRACEDBACKTOASASUBSETOF“ECOLOGICALFOOTPRINT”PROPOSEDBYWACKERNAGELANDREES1996ECOLOGICALFOOTPRINTREFERSTOTHEBIOLOGICALLYPRODUCTIVELANDANDSEAAREAREQUIREDTOSUSTAINAGIVENHUMANPOPULATIONEXPRESSEDASGLOBALHECTARE
24、SACCORDINGTOTHISCONCEPT,CARBONFOOTPRINTREFERSTOTHELANDAREAREQUIREDTOASSIMILATETHEENTIRECO2PRODUCEDBYTHEMANKINDDURINGITSLIFETIMEINDUECOURSEOFTIMEASTHEGLOBALWARMINGISSUETOOKPROMINENCEINTHEWORLDENVIRONMENTALAGENDA,USEOFCARBONFOOTPRINTBECAMECOMMONINDEPENDENTLY,ALTHOUGHINAMODIFIEDFORMEAST2008THECONCEPTOF
25、CARBONFOOTPRINTINGHASBEENINUSESINCESEVERALDECADESBUTKNOWNDIFFERENTLYASLIFECYCLEIMPACTCATEGORYINDICATORGLOBALWARMINGPOTENTIALFINKBEINER2009THEREFORE,THEPRESENTFORMOFCARBONFOOTPRINTMAYBEVIEWEDASAHYBRID,DERIVINGITSNAMEFROM“ECOLOGICALFOOTPRINT”,ANDCONCEPTUALLYBEINGAGLOBALWARMINGPOTENTIALINDICATORTHEREAR
26、EFEWSTUDIESTHATREPORTCARBONFOOTPRINTINTERMSOFGLOBALHECTARESNOTWITHSTANDINGTHEMODERNNEXUSABOUTITBROWNEETAL2009BESIDESITSWIDESPREADFAVORABLEPUBLICREPUTATIONASANINDICATOROFCONTRIBUTIONOFANENTITYTOTHEGLOBALWARMING,THEREARECONFUSIONSOVERWHATITEXACTLYMEANSWIEDMANNANDMINX2007EAST2008FINKBEINER2009PETERS201
27、0ITISALSOREMARKEDTHATTHESCIENTIFICLITERATUREONTHESUBJECTISSCARCEANDTHEMOSTSTUDIESHAVEBEENCARRIEDOUTBYPRIVATEORGANIZATIONSANDCOMPANIESPREDOMINANTLYDUETOTHEIRBUSINESSSENSERATHERTHANTHEIRENVIRONMENTALRESPONSIBILITYKLEINER2007WIEDMANNANDMINX2007EAST2008OTHERTERMSUSEDASSOCIATEDORSOMETIMESASASYNONYMOFCARB
28、ONFOOTPRINTINTHEAVAILABLELITERATUREAREEMBODIEDCARBON,CARBONCONTENT,EMBEDDEDCARBON,CARBONFLOWS,VIRTUALCARBON,GHGFOOTPRINT,ANDCLIMATEFOOTPRINTWIEDMANNANDMINX2007COURCHENEANDALLAN2008EDGARANDPETERS2009PETERS2010THEREISLITTLEUNIFORMITYINTHEDEFINITIONSOFCARBONFOOTPRINTWITHINTHEAVAILABLELITERATUREANDSTUDI
29、ESWIEDMANNANDMINX2007BASEDONTHEIRSURVEY,WIEDMANNANDMINX2007DEFINEDTHATTHECARBONFOOTPRINTISAMEASUREOFTHEEXCLUSIVETOTALAMOUNTOFCARBONDIOXIDEEMISSIONSTHATISDIRECTLYANDINDIRECTLYCAUSEDBYANACTIVITYORISACCUMULATEDOVERTHELIFESTAGESOFAPRODUCTANEWTERM“CLIMATEFOOTPRINT”WASPROPOSEDASACOMPREHENSIVEGHGINDICATOR,
30、IE,IFALLTHEGHGSORIGINATINGFROMWITHINTHEBOUNDARYAREQUANTIFIEDHOWEVER,NEWSTUDIESANDMETHODSFOLLOWEDFORCARBONFOOTPRINTCALCULATION,SUGGESTINCLUDINGOTHERGHGSASWELL,APARTFROMONLYCO2OFFICEOFSUSTAINABILITYANDENVIRONMENT,CITYOFSEATTLE2002KELLYETAL2009ESHELANDMARTIN2006BOKOWSKIETAL2007FERRISETAL2007TCCHANCENTE
31、RFORBUILDINGSIMULATIONGARGANDDORNFELD2008GOODCOMPANY2008JOHNSON2008,EDGARANDPETERS2009BROWNEETAL2009THEREISALACKOFUNIFORMITYOVERTHESELECTIONOFDIRECTANDEMBODIEDEMISSIONSDIRECTEMISSIONSARETHOSETHATAREMADEDIRECTLYDURINGTHEPROGRESSOFAPROCESSASANEXAMPLE,CO2RELEASEDDURINGCOMBUSTIONINAGASOLINEFIREDINDUSTRI
32、ALBOILERISADIRECTEMISSIONONTHEOTHERHANDINELECTRICALLYHEATEDBOILER,NODIRECTEMISSIONSWILLBEOBSERVEDBUTIFTHEELECTRICITYUSEDINTHEBOILERWASGENERATEDINATHERMALPOWERPLANT,THEAMOUNTOFCO2RELEASEDINGENERATIONANDTRANSMISSIONOFTHEUNITSOFELECTRICITYCONSUMEDINTHEBOILERISREFERREDASTHEEMBODIEDORINDIRECTEMISSIONITBE
33、COMESCOMPLEXTOINCLUDEALLPOSSIBLEEMISSIONSANDTHUSMOSTSTUDIESREPORTONLYDIRECTORFIRSTORDERINDIRECTEMISSIONSCARBONTRUST2007BWIEDMANNANDMINX2007MATTHEWSETAL2008BINABSENCEOFCONSISTENCIESAMONGSELECTIONOFCHARACTERISTICPROPERTIESOFCARBONFOOTPRINTVIZGASESSELECTEDANDBOUNDARIESDRAWNFORTHECARBONFOOTPRINTIMPORTAN
34、CEOFCARBONFOOTPRINTINGCARBONFOOTPRINT,BEINGAQUANTITATIVEEXPRESSIONOFGHGEMISSIONSFROMANACTIVITYHELPSINEMISSIONMANAGEMENTANDEVALUATIONOFMITIGATIONMEASURESCARBONTRUST2007BHAVINGQUANTIFIEDTHEEMISSIONS,THEIMPORTANTSOURCESOFEMISSIONSCANBEIDENTIFIEDANDAREASOFEMISSIONREDUCTIONSANDINCREASINGEFFICIENCIESCANBE
35、PRIORITIZEDTHISPROVIDESTHEOPPORTUNITYFORENVIRONMENTALEFFICIENCIESANDCOSTREDUCTIONSREPORTINGOFCARBONFOOTPRINTTOTHETHIRDPARTYORDISCLOSURETOTHEPUBLICISNEEDEDINRESPONSETOLEGISLATIVEREQUIREMENTS,ORCARBONTRADINGORASAPARTOFCORPORATESOCIALRESPONSIBILITY,ORFORIMPROVINGTHEBRANDSIMAGECARBONTRUST2007BLEKCONSULT
36、INGLLP2007LEGISLATIVEACTIONSHAVEBEENTAKENTOQUANTIFYANDREDUCECARBONFOOTPRINTOFCITIESANDORGANIZATIONSANDITISPLAYINGANIMPORTANTROLEINPOLICYMAKINGOFFICEOFSUSTAINABILITYANDENVIRONMENT,CITYOFSEATTLE2002COURCHENEANDALLAN2008GOODCOMPANY2008USAHASMADEITMANDATORYTOKEEPREGISTEROFEMISSIONSFROMFIRMSANDCOMPANIESU
37、NDERCONSOLIDATEDAPPROPRIATIONSACT,2008RICH2008EUHASALSOTAKENLEADINFORMULATINGLEGALBINDINGSFORREDUCTIONINEMISSIONSEMBODIEDINAVIATIONCALIFORNIACAPPEDCONCLUSIONSCARBONFOOTPRINTHASEMERGEDASASTRONGMODEOFGHGEXPRESSIONWHILEEARLIERSTUDIESFOCUSEDONLYONCO2EMISSIONSASTHEGUIDELINESANDSUGGESTEDINCLUSIONOFALLTHEI
38、MPORTANTGHGINCALCULATION,CARBONFOOTPRINTSTARTEDBECOMINGSYNONYMOUSTOACOMPREHENSIVEGHGACCOUNTOVERTHELIFECYCLESTAGESOFANYPRODUCTORACTIVITYNODEFINITION,HOWEVER,HASYETBEENACCEPTEDCOHERENTLYASISCLEARFROMTHEFACTTHATTHEREAREDIFFERENTSELECTIONOFGASESANDTIERSAMONGSTUDIESHOWEVER,ASCARBONFOOTPRINTREPORTSAREINCR
39、EASINGINRESPONSETOLEGALORBUSINESSREQUIREMENTS,MOSTOFTHECALCULATIONSAREFOLLOWINGTHEGHGPROTOCOLWORLDWIDESINCEITHASBEENEXTENDEDTOCOVERNATURALSYSTEMASWELL,ITBECOMESESSENTIALTODEALWITHTHEUNAVOIDABLEEMISSIONSCARBONFOOTPRINTHASBEENCOMMERCIALIZEDANDISBEINGUTILIZEDBYORGANIZATIONSTOCOUNTTHEIRCARBONANDADOPTMEA
40、SURESTOCUTDOWNEMISSIONSTHISBUSINESSSENSEHASTAKENCARBONCONSCIOUSNESSTOTHEHOUSEHOLDSTHROUGHNUMEROUSONLINECALCULATORSANDHASHELPEDINMAKINGTHECIVISOCIETYAWAREOFHOWMUCHTHEIRACTIVITIESARECONTRIBUTINGTOGLOBALWARMINGIRONICALLY,THEREISNOCHECKONSUCHCARBONCALCULATINGFACILITIESANDTHEYLACKCOHERENCEANDTRANSPARENCY
41、SINCECARBONFOOTPRINTINGISASSOCIATEDWITHMONEYTRANSACTIONSANDHASBEENFOUNDTOINFLUENCEBUSINESSESLEGALGUIDELINESARENECESSARYTOMONITORTHESECALCULATIONSCARBONFOOTPRINTINGMUSTBEHARNESSEDASASTRONGTOOLTOPROMOTEGHGEMISSIONREDUCTIONSAMONGBUSINESSES,EVENTS,ANDCIVSOCIETYANDSHOULDBEINCLUDEDASINDICATOROFSUSTAINABLE
42、DEVELOPMENT外文题目CARBONFOOTPRINTCURRENTMETHODSOFESTIMATION出处SPRINGERSCIENCEBUSINESSMEDIABV作者DIVYAPANDEYMADHOOLIKAAGRAWALJAISHANKERPANDEY译文碳足迹当前存在的方式摘要增长的温室气体集中于大气中导致环境恶化，从而造成全球性变暖并伴生出其他一些严重的后果。根据可测量就是易处理的规则，不同的产品所产生温室气体的测定，演变到全世界的过程，表示为他们的碳足迹。碳足迹演算的方法也在不断演变，并且人们把它出现作为温室气体管理的一个重要工具。碳足迹的概念已经渗透，并正在在所有的商业
43、生活和经济领域得到应用，但在定义和研究之间的碳足迹却缺少一定的一致性。在足迹的计算范围存在对气体选择排放的分歧。温室气体的会计标准，在计算所使用资源的共同足迹，虽然没有强制性规定的足迹查证。碳足迹是将来肯定要用来成为一个工具，以指导有关减排和核查，为此其在国际上把碳足迹标准化是非常必要的。本文综述了目前流行的碳足迹的方法，并提出相关的问题。关键字碳足迹指导排放具体化排放温室气体简介关于气候变化（IPCC）的政府间小组在其第四次评估报告强烈建议，以限制全球气温上升2以下，以避免严重的生态和经济威胁。现在在温度已经上升了074，因此气候学家已经开始了紧急行动，以遏制全球变暖（警监会2007克尔20
44、07年）为重点。在自然系统中，由于气候变暖造成的失衡已经暗示在极端天气事件和气候变化的形式。山区积雪，冻土，冰川在融化，格陵兰岛，南极和北极的冰山正经历着负质量平衡，从而造成海平面上升的速度在今年增加了3毫米（克尔2006RIGNOT和KANAGARATNAM2006警监会2007年）。由于这种复杂的自然现象的变化，它已经预计12亿元的额外人将水分胁迫下，作物生产力中纬度地区将遭受损失，以及野生动植物和生物多样性会受到威胁（克尔2007）。在社会的前列，发展中国家和贫困国家正处于高风险不成比例立即被全球变暖的不利影响，因此，“千年发展目标”消灭贫穷可能会受到影响（开发计划署2007年）。“世界
45、上正在运行的时间和期权短”在社会和经济方面在与全球变暖和气候变化（斯特恩2006）相关高风险的看法。强烈和直接的本地到国际行动因此需要一个稳定合理的方式排放。作为全球变暖的科学性和后果的认识的增长，为防止灾难性的气候变化导致于1997年，需要附上在其上市或经济转型发展的经济体系中的一个对“京都议定书”签注的实质行动关怀我到减少温室气体的六个重要的集体排放（温室气体），即二氧化碳，甲烷，氧化亚氮，全氟化碳集，和氟氯至少52，而到1990年时的水平20082012年（联合国1998）。根据京都议定书所涵盖的气体统称为“京都气体”（世界资源研究所/WBCSD的2004年）。这个协议，但是，并没有得到
46、所有国家平等的支持和一些没有批准它国家的理由是它们的经济可能遭受的损失。然而，在行为或不反对斯特恩进行了气候变化采取行动（2006）得出的结论影响述评说，“尽早采取行动的强有力的好处大大超过其成本。“据预测，不采取行动，立即将花费全球国内生产总值（GDP）的损失至少5，而每年的年度投资相当于全球GDP的1，可能有助于限制低于2的温升，否则就不可能恢复的变化。京都气体排放量需要在2050年削减25，低于目前的水平，这样的增长国家不会受到损害。全球气温的快速上升是由于人类把引起的温室气体释放到大气中造成“温室效应增强”（即温室效应附加自然）。虽然并非所有的温室气体有同等能力造成气候变暖，但辐射强迫
47、它会在大气中停留。考虑到这两个合计会导致平均气温升高，因此被称为全球变暖潜能值（GWP），计算数学，并表示相对于二氧化碳的。因此，全球升温潜能值的单位是二氧化碳当量（CO2E）段。全球变暖的重要贡献者是京都气体，其排放量19702004增加了70（警监会2007年）。除了这六种气体，含氯氟烃的气体也有非常高的全球升温潜能值，但由于他们的排放量已在蒙特利尔议定书成功的控制，他们不再是一个问题。在温室气体浓度的递增率异常的高，从地质和冰芯研究（警监会2007年）的自然范围来看，远远超过我们所看到的。这些温室气体的最大份额来自于化石燃料燃烧产生的CO2（586）。接下来是甲烷和氧化亚氮贡献为143和
48、79，这两种气体的主要来源是（警监会2007年）农业系统。为了遵守上升低于2C目标，大气中温室气体存量的需要稳定在低于550的二氧化碳当量，其中430的已在2007年已经达到。因此温室气体清单将在全世界被确认和评价并通过每一个可能的方法来控制。随着气候变化问题成为突出的政治问题，在广大市民尤其是发达国家中开始被确认在对全球变暖的责任中采取行动（古道尔2007年）。这些关注和媒体的普及提供了巨大的贡献的各种活动对全球变暖的量化通常表示的“碳足迹”的条款。然而，碳足迹因为信息提供的不确定性和不一致性所困扰（SCHIERMEIER2006；WIEDMANN和米诺克斯2007；肯尼和灰色2008；帕吉
49、特等人2008年。）。本审查的目的是系统地分析有关资料对全球变暖，使用由普通市民，企业部门，行业，和政府共同参与的估算方法来讨论温室气体排放量和特点，碳足迹的概念，碳足迹计算。碳足迹的概念碳足迹起源可追溯到威克和里斯（1996）提出的作为“生态足迹”的一个子集。生态足迹是指需要维持一个考虑到人的生物生产力的土地和海域。根据这一概念，是指碳足迹的土地面积需要吸收二氧化碳的整个寿命期间的人类生产。在稍后的时间，随着全球气候变暖问题上率先在世界突出的环境议程，成为共同的碳足迹独立使用（京都协议2008）。碳足迹的概念从几十年来已知的如生命周期的影响不同类别的指标全球变暖潜力开始早已在使用了（FINKBEINER2009年）。因此，目前形式的碳足迹可以被看作是一种混合而产生的“生态足迹”的名称，概念上是一个全球变暖的潜在指标。很少有研究涉及到关于对现代的关系（布朗等人，2009）全球公顷范围的碳足迹。除了其广泛的有利作为一个实体的全球变暖的公众声誉指标的贡献，其他并没有什么更确切的意思。（WIEDMANN和米诺克斯2007年，东2008；FINKBEINER2009；彼得斯2010年）。它也表示，关于这一主题的科学文献是稀少，大多数的研究的业务主要是由于他们的环保意识，而不是责任已经由私人机构和公司完成（克莱纳2007WIEDMANNAND米诺克斯
