New CBEI and EF Archetype Tool launched
This new tool displays estimates of consumption-based greenhouse gas emission inventories (CBEI) and ecological footprints (EF) for most BC communities and regional districts from 2011 to 2023. It also shows a typical breakdown of a CBEI in BC communities for:
- food
- buildings
- consumables and waste, and
- transportation
The CBEI and EF estimates are compiled from per-capita archetype values derived from a pool of inventories for BC communities completed between 2015 to 2021 using the ecoCity Footprint Tool.
Why Measure CBEI and EF?
Traditional greenhouse gas emission inventories focus on territorial emissions—those that occur within a community’s borders. Whereas a consumption-based approach looks at the full lifecycle emissions of the products and services consumed by community members, wherever they were produced. This method:
- Encourages strategies that maximize global impact reductions, not just local ones.
- Highlights disparities globally and within communities, showing how affluent consumers contribute disproportionately to impacts.
- Provides an opportunity to engage community members and mobilize action on emission reductions by helping them understand the broader impact of their choices.
By integrating CBEI and EF into community planning, BC communities can move toward a One Planet Living approach, living within Earth’s limits in an equitable and sustainable way.