Definition 1
Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO2e or CO2eq) is a unit of measurement that represents different greenhouse gases in a single unit by converting them into an equivalent quantity of CO2 based on their global warming potential (GWP). [It allows a Carbon Footprint consisting of different GHGs to be expressed as a single number].
Drafting notes and guidance
Global warming potential
The various Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) contribute to the greenhouse effect to different extents and remain in the atmosphere for different periods of time.
To make the effects of different GHGs comparable, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change of the United Nations (IPCC) has defined the Global Warming Potential (GWP) for each GHG.
This index expresses the warming effect of a certain amount of a GHG over a set period of time (usually 100 years) when compared to carbon dioxide (CO2).