Carbonintensive

Carbonintensive is an adjective used to describe activities, industries, or processes that generate large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions relative to a given unit of output. In policy and industry discussions, carbonintensive activities are contrasted with low-carbon or decarbonized operations. The term is commonly applied to sectors such as cement and steel production, petrochemicals, mining, aviation, freight transport, and data centers that rely on energy-heavy processes or carbon-heavy energy sources.

Measurement and interpretation of carbonintensity typically involve emissions per unit of output, such as tonnes of CO2 per tonne of product, per megawatt-hour of electricity, or per unit of economic value. Life cycle assessment and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol are among the frameworks used to estimate carbon intensity across a product’s or activity’s life cycle. The carbon intensity of an activity depends on the energy mix; switching to lower-carbon electricity, improving efficiency, or adopting cleaner technologies can reduce intensity even if total production remains high. Conversely, absolute emissions may rise if activity grows substantially, even with lower intensity.

Policy relevance and strategies focus on reducing carbonintensity as part of broader decarbonization goals. Approaches include carbon pricing, emissions trading, efficiency standards, electrification with low-carbon grids, deployment of carbon capture and storage, and shifts to cleaner inputs. Critics note that focusing solely on intensity can overlook growth in total emissions and potential leakage if emissions move to jurisdictions with weaker climate policies.