Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission references are the data sources used to calculate a carbon footprint. They link an activity (input data such as litres of fuel, kilometres travelled, or kWh consumed) to an emission factor (EF). In the Hedgehog Carbon Platform, your footprint is calculated by multiplying your activity data by the emission factor you select.
The platform supports multiple emission factor databases. Some are freely available, such as:
These sources offer broad coverage and are widely recognised, but may not provide the same level of detail or sector specificity as paid databases. Paid databases often include more granular datasets, regional variations, or industry-specific factors. If you cannot find the database or emission factor you need, please contact us so we can help.
Tip: Missing a database? Reach out to our Hedgehog team to inform whether we can install it in your account.
You can choose which databases are available for your organisation.
If you select multiple databases, you will see a larger list of emission factors when assigning them to inventory items. Make sure you choose the factor from the correct database for each item in your inventory.