A carbon footprint refers to the total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2) and other carbon compounds, emitted directly or indirectly by human activities, products, or services over a specific period. These activities include burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas for energy, as well as various industrial processes, transportation, agriculture, and more. The carbon footprint is often measured in units of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) and is expressed as metric tons or kilograms of CO2e emitted. The concept of a carbon footprint is closely linked to the issue of climate change. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, leading to global warming and various environmental and societal impacts, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and disruptions to ecosystems. Individuals, companies, and governments can assess their carbon footprints to better understand their contributions to climate change and identify ways to reduce emissions. This might involve adopting energy-efficient practices, transitioning to renewable energy sources, improving transportation systems, implementing sustainable agricultural practices, and more. The goal is to minimize the carbon footprint to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and work toward a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.
「碳足跡」是指在特定時間內，由人類活動、產品或服務直接或間接排放的溫室氣體總量，主要包括二氧化碳（CO2）和其他碳化合物。這些活動包括燃燒煤、石油、天然氣等化石燃料以供能源使用，以及各種工業過程、交通運輸、農業等。碳足跡通常以CO2當量（CO2e）的單位進行衡量，並表示為排放的公噸或公斤。
碳足跡的概念與氣候變化問題密切相關。溫室氣體，如二氧化碳，使地球大氣中的熱量受困，導致全球變暖以及各種環境和社會影響，如海平面上升、極端天氣事件和生態系統的破壞。
個人、企業和政府可以評估自己的碳足跡，以更好地了解他們對氣候變化的貢獻，並找出減少排放的方法。這可能涉及採用節能的做法，轉向可再生能源，改善運輸系統，實施可持續的農業做法等。目標是最大程度地減少碳足跡，以減輕氣候變化的負面影響，並朝著更加可持續和環保的未來邁進。
