|
|
Since its launch in 2022, the Customer Carbon Footprint Tool (CCFT) supports our customers’ sustainability journey to track, measure and control their carbon emissions by providing estimated carbon emissions associated with their use of Amazon Web Services (AWS).
In April, we made significant updates to CCFT, including easier access to carbon emissions data, emissions visibility by AWS region, inclusion of location-based emissions (LBM), an updated, independently verified methodology, as well as a move to a dedicated page in the AWS Billing console.
CCFT is informed of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol emission classification, which classifies the company’s emissions. Today we are announcing the inclusion of Scope 3 emissions data and an update to Scope 1 emissions in the CCFT. The new emission categories complement the existing scope 1 and 2 data and provide our customers with a comprehensive view of their carbon emissions data.
In this updated methodology, we include new emission categories. We have added scope 1 refrigerants and natural gas in addition to existing scope 1 emissions from fuel combustion in emergency backup generators (diesel). Although scope 1 emissions represent a small proportion of total emissions, we provide our customers with a complete picture of their carbon emissions.
To decide which range 3 categories to include in our model, we looked at how important each was to the overall carbon impact and confirmed that the vast majority of emissions were represented. With this in mind, the methodology now includes:
-
Fuels and Energy Activities (“FERA” under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol) – This includes emissions from purchased fuels, emissions from purchased electricity and transmission and distribution (T&D) losses. AWS calculates these emissions using the LBM and market method (MBM).
-
IT hardware – AWS uses a comprehensive cradle-to-gate approach that tracks emissions from raw material extraction through manufacturing and transportation to AWS data centers. We use four methods of calculation: process life cycle assessment (LCA) with technical attributes, extrapolation, average LCA of a representative category and economic input-output LCA. AWS favors the most detailed and accurate methods for components that contribute significantly to total emissions.
-
Buildings and facilities – AWS adheres to established Building Life Cycle Assessment (wbLCA) standards for construction, use and end-of-life phase emissions. The analysis covers data center envelopes, rooms and equipment with long lines such as air handling units and generators. The methodology uses both process-based life cycle assessment models and economic input-output analysis to provide comprehensive coverage.
Scope 3 emissions are then amortized over the lifetime of the assets (6 years for IT hardware, 50 years for buildings) to calculate the monthly emissions that can be allocated to customers. This amortization means that we equitably distribute the total embodied carbon of each asset over its operating life, taking into account scenarios such as early retirement or extended use.
All of these updates are part of the methodology version 3.0.0 and are explained in detail in our methodology document, which has been independently verified by a third party.
How to access CCFT
To get started, go to the AWS Billing and Cost Management console and select Customer Carbon Footprint Tool under Cost and utilization analysis. You can access your carbon data in a dashboard, download a csv file, or export all data using basic SQL and visualize your data by integrating with AWS Data Exports and Amazon Quick Sight.
To ensure you can make meaningful year-over-year comparisons, we’ve recalculated historical data back to January 2022 using version 3 of the methodology. All data displayed in CCFT now uses version 3. To view historical data using v3, select Create your own data export. The new data export now includes new columns with a breakdown of emissions by range 1, 2 and 3.
You can see estimated AWS emissions and estimated emissions savings. By default, the tool displays MBM-calculated emissions for 38 months of data. You can find your LBM calculated emissions by selecting LBM in Calculation method dashboard filter. The unit of measurement for carbon emissions is metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e), which is an industry standard measure.
IN Overview of carbon emissionsshows trends in your carbon emissions over time. You can also find emissions resulting from your use of AWS services and across all AWS regions. For more information, see the View Carbon Footprint page in the AWS documentation.
Voice of the customer
Some of our customers had early access to these updates. This is what they shared with us:
Sunya Norman, Senior Vice President, Impact at Salesforce, shared, “Effective decarbonization starts with visibility into our carbon footprint, particularly in Scope 3 emissions. Industry averages are just a starting point. The detailed carbon data we get from cloud service providers like AWS is critical to better understanding the actual emissions associated with our cloud infrastructure and focused on reductions where they matter most.”
Gerhard Loske, Head of Environmental Management at SAP, said: “The latest CCFT updates are a big step forward in helping us drive SAP’s sustainability goals. With new region-specific data, we can now better see where emissions are coming from and take targeted action. The upcoming addition of Scope 3 emissions will give us a much more complete picture of our carbon footprint across work AWS workloads. These improvements make it easier for us to turn data into climate.”
Mia Ketterling, head of global sustainability at Pinterest, highlighted the benefits of Scope 3 emissions data, saying, “By including Scope 3 emissions data in their CCFT, AWS enables customers like Pinterest to more accurately measure and report the full carbon footprint of our digital operations. The improved transparency helps us drive meaningful climate action throughout our value chain.”
If you attend AWS re:Invent in person in December, join technical leaders from AWS, Adobe, and Salesforce as they reveal how the Customer Carbon Footprint Tool supports their green initiatives.
Now available
With scope 1, 2 and 3 coverage in CCFT, you can track your emissions over time to understand how you’re moving towards your sustainability goals and see the impact of any carbon reduction projects you’ve implemented. To learn more, visit the Customer Carbon Footprint Tool (CCFT) page.
Try these new features in the AWS Billing and Cost Management console and submit feedback to AWS re:Post for CCFT or through your usual AWS support contacts.
— Channy