Avoided Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions that would have occurred in a baseline scenario but are prevented through the use of a specific product, service, or technology — reported outside the organisational boundary as a separate metric.
What is Avoided Emissions?
Avoided emissions (sometimes called Scope 4 emissions, though this is not an official GHG Protocol scope) represent the emission reductions that a product or service enables for its users compared to a conventional alternative.
Unlike carbon offsets, avoided emissions are not subtracted from an organisation's footprint. They are reported separately as a measure of positive climate impact. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and International Chemical Industry Council (ICCA) have published guidance on calculating avoided emissions.
Calculating avoided emissions requires defining a credible baseline scenario (what would have happened without the product), demonstrating that the reduction is additional (beyond business-as-usual), and avoiding double-counting with other organisations' claims.
This metric is particularly relevant for technology companies, clean energy providers, insulation manufacturers, and any organisation whose products or services help others reduce emissions. However, claims must be substantiated carefully to avoid greenwashing — avoided emissions should not be used to distract from an organisation's own footprint.
Practical Examples
A heat pump manufacturer calculates avoided emissions by comparing the lifecycle emissions of its heat pumps with the gas boilers they replace in UK homes, using DEFRA emission factors for both energy sources.
A digital conferencing platform estimates avoided emissions by surveying users about business trips replaced by virtual meetings, applying average flight emission factors to the avoided travel.
A building insulation company measures avoided emissions by calculating the energy savings achieved in buildings using its products compared to uninsulated buildings over a 25-year product life.
How Climatise Helps
Climatise helps organisations track their own emissions footprint and can support quantification of avoided emissions through baseline scenario modelling and comparison analysis. This gives you a complete picture of both your climate impact and your positive contribution.
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