Avoided emissions are defined as the “positive” impact on society when comparing the GHG impact of a solution to an alternative reference scenario where the solution would not be used. They are sometimes referred to as Scope 4 Emissions, but Project Frame does not recommend the use of this term to avoid conflation with Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 used in carbon accounting.

An attribute of impact, requiring an investor or company's thoughtful and reasonable articulation of the degree to which its support causes a change in an outcome that would have not otherwise happened (in a no-intervention or business as usual baseline scenario).

The process of allocating credit for GHG impact based on the relative contributions of various participants in the value chain.

Verification that claims of GHG impact are free from errors, omissions, or misstatements. This is also associated with third-party verification of an investor’s impact methodology and practices.

A projection of GHG emissions over time, representing what would have happened in the absence of an investment or a climate solution.

A part of an overall solution that plays a critical role in delivering GHG impact. The GHG impact will depend on the use case for the product that contains the component.

When a solution can be purchased as a whole to yield GHG impact (for example, an electric vehicle, heat pump, or more sustainably produced food product).

An intervention or innovation in a technology, product, service, device, or process that may result in GHG impact.

The GHG emissions produced to create and sell a product, including emissions to extract materials for it, manufacture it, and distribute it.

The ratio of emissions per unit of activity or object (e.g., grams of carbon dioxide emitted per barrel of oil burned or pound of steel produced).

A solution that indirectly advances our ability to reduce emissions or adopt a direct climate solution, which will ultimately deliver or accelerate GHG impact.

Total GHG emissions caused directly and indirectly by an individual, organization, event or product

GWP consists of multipliers applied to greenhouse gasses such as methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) to equate the impact they have on the Earth’s temperature with that of carbon dioxide (CO2) over a particular time horizon. It provides a common scale for measuring the climate effects of different gasses.

Gases that absorb infrared radiation and trap heat in the atmosphere.

The practice of making misleading or false claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or company, with the intention of deceiving consumers into believing that it is more environmentally friendly than it actually is.

Attributing portions of emissions reduction impact across contributors along the value chain.

The comparable technology, product, service, device, or process (i.e. status quo) that a proposed climate solution aims to displace in the market

How a proposed climate solution is expected to directly or indirectly result in a change in atmospheric Greenhouse Gas (GHG) concentration, either through emissions reduction compared to a defined status quo or incumbent or through GHG removal.

A cumulative accounting of all GHG emissions connected to a particular product, including materials, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal.

The amount of GHG emissions released from the operation or use of a technology, product, or service.