CO2intensiv

CO2intensiv is a term used to describe activities, industries or processes that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide relative to the amount of economic output or product they generate. Emissions intensity, or CO2 intensity, is typically expressed as kilograms of CO2 per unit of output (for example per kilowatt-hour of electricity, per tonne of cement, or per vehicle-kilometre). The concept distinguishes between the total or absolute emissions of a sector and how CO2-intensive those emissions are in relation to production or service levels.

Sectors commonly described as CO2intensiv include heavy industry and energy-intensive manufacturing, such as cement and steel production, chemical processing, and fossil-fuel-based electricity generation, as well as long-haul transportation. The exact intensity depends on technology, energy mix, efficiency, and scale. Regions with high shares of low-carbon electricity can reduce the CO2 intensity of certain activities even if output remains high.

Policy and industry relevance hinges on targeting reductions in emissions intensity while maintaining or increasing productivity. Strategies include improving energy efficiency, switching to low-carbon fuels, electrification with clean electricity, deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS), process innovations, and recycling or material substitution.

Challenges to reducing CO2 intensity include high upfront costs, long asset lifetimes, technical feasibility in certain sectors, data gaps in measuring intensity, and potential risks such as carbon leakage. Understanding CO2 intensity helps compare sectors, set decarbonization priorities, and track progress toward lower-emission economies.