Carbon Footprint Calculation
A complete, verified greenhouse gas inventory covering all your direct and indirect emission sources — built to the ISO 14064-1 and GHG Protocol standards mandated by UAE Federal Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024.
What is a carbon footprint (GHG inventory)?
A carbon footprint — formally called a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory — is a systematic measurement of all the greenhouse gases your business emits in a year, expressed as tonnes of CO₂-equivalent (tCO₂e). It covers everything from the fuel burned in your company vehicles and the electricity powering your office, to the emissions embedded in your supply chain and the flights your team takes for business travel. Think of it as your business's environmental balance sheet — a complete, auditable record of your climate impact.
The three scopes explained
All emissions are organised into three categories — called 'scopes' — under the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. UAE Federal Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024 requires Scope 1 and Scope 2 as a mandatory minimum, with material Scope 3 sources required where significant.
Scope 1 — Direct emissions (you own the source)
These come from sources your company owns or controls. Examples: burning diesel in a company-owned delivery truck, natural gas in an on-site boiler or industrial furnace, refrigerant leaks from your air-conditioning system, or LPG used in a hotel kitchen. If your company burns fuel or uses refrigerants, you have Scope 1 emissions.
Scope 2 — Indirect emissions from purchased energy
These come from the electricity, district cooling, or steam you buy from a utility provider. The emissions happen at the power plant, not at your premises — but they are attributed to your consumption. Example: a UAE office building consuming 500,000 kWh of DEWA electricity per year generates approximately 230 tCO₂e in Scope 2 emissions, using the UAE national grid emission factor.
Scope 3 — Value chain emissions (everything else)
These are all other indirect emissions across your value chain — both upstream and downstream. Examples: the emissions from your employees commuting to work, the cargo flights used to import raw materials, the waste your company sends to landfill, the business travel of your team, or the embodied carbon in goods you purchase. Scope 3 is often the largest category, sometimes 70–90% of a company's total footprint.
A real-world example: a mid-size hotel in Dubai
Consider a 150-room hotel in Dubai with 80 staff. Their GHG inventory would typically include:
Scope 1 example
Emergency diesel generators running ~200 hours/year, and refrigerant top-ups across 12 HVAC units. Estimated: ~45 tCO₂e/year.
Scope 2 example
Electricity purchased from DEWA to power rooms, kitchens, pool heating, and common areas — approximately 3.2 million kWh/year. Estimated: ~1,475 tCO₂e/year using the UAE grid factor of 0.461 kgCO₂e/kWh.
Scope 3 example
Staff commuting by car and metro, food waste sent to landfill, linen laundry outsourced to a third party, and business travel by management. Estimated: ~120 tCO₂e/year across material categories.
Why UAE emission factors matter
UAE's national grid is powered predominantly by natural gas and nuclear (Barakah), with a growing share of solar from Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and Masdar projects. MOCCAE publishes the official UAE grid emission factor that all businesses must use for Scope 2 calculation — currently 0.461 kgCO₂e/kWh (2023 factor). Using an incorrect factor — such as a global average — will result in an inaccurate inventory that may fail third-party verification.
How we deliver it
Boundary and scope definition
We define your organisational boundary (which entities and operations are included), select the appropriate consolidation approach (operational or equity share control), and identify all relevant emission sources across Scope 1, 2, and material Scope 3 categories.
Data collection
We provide structured data templates tailored to your sector and send them to the right departments — facilities, procurement, fleet, HR. We chase data on your behalf, validate inputs, and flag gaps early so nothing blocks your timeline.
Emissions calculation
We apply the correct methodology and UAE-specific emission factors (MOCCAE grid factors, IPCC AR6 GWPs) to calculate emissions for every source category. All calculations are documented in a transparent, auditable workbook.
Quality review
We conduct an internal quality check — reviewing completeness, consistency, and accuracy before your inventory goes to a third-party verifier. We identify and resolve issues before the verifier does.
Third-party verification
We coordinate your verification with a MOCCAE-accredited verifier, managing the information exchange and resolving any verifier queries. The process ends with a signed Verification Statement — the document MOCCAE requires for your MRV submission.
Final report and MOCCAE submission
We deliver a complete, verified GHG inventory report and file it through MOCCAE's IEQT platform on your behalf. You receive a copy of your Compliance Certificate and a structured Evidence Vault entry for the 5-year retention obligation.
Deliverables included
Verified GHG Inventory Report
A fully documented Scope 1, 2, and material Scope 3 emissions inventory with calculation workbook, data sources, emission factor references, and methodology notes — ready for MOCCAE submission.
Third-Party Verification Statement
A signed verification statement from a MOCCAE-accredited verifier confirming the inventory meets ISO 14064-1:2018 and UAE regulatory requirements.
MOCCAE IEQT Submission
Your verified annual GHG report filed through MOCCAE's Integrated Emissions Quantification Tool, with submission confirmation and tracking.
Calculation Workbook
A transparent, auditable Excel/spreadsheet workbook showing every emission source, activity data input, emission factor applied, and calculated tCO₂e value — your audit trail.
Data Collection Templates
Sector-specific data templates to make annual data collection faster in subsequent years — pre-filled with prior-year baselines and structured for your operations.
5-Year Evidence Vault Entry
All supporting documents uploaded to your secure Evidence Vault with timestamps, meeting the 5-year record retention requirement under Article 6 of the Decree-Law.
The business case
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. (11) of 2024 makes GHG reporting legally mandatory for all UAE businesses. Non-compliance carries fines of AED 50,000 to AED 2,000,000 per offense.
Government tenders, large corporate supply chains, and UAE bank ESG lending criteria increasingly require a verified carbon footprint as a condition of doing business.
You cannot reduce what you don't measure. An accurate emissions inventory is the foundation of every credible decarbonisation strategy and cost-saving opportunity.
A verified inventory protects you from regulatory inspection — because your data, methodology, and supporting evidence are audit-ready at any time.
Completing your first inventory creates a base year — the reference point for tracking whether your emissions are going up or down year-over-year, required for your GHG Reduction Plan.
Ready to get this done?
Book a free 30-minute assessment. We'll confirm your obligations, scope the work, and give you a fixed price — no surprises.