emissiepad

Emissiepad is a Dutch term that refers to the planned trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions over time that a country, region, or sector intends to follow in order to meet climate targets. The concept is used in climate policy and planning to translate long-term goals, such as carbon neutrality by mid-century, into concrete annual or periodic emission levels and policies. An emissiepad typically includes: baseline (current trend), target pathway (emission levels by year), sectoral allocation (how much each sector must reduce), required policy measures (pricing, efficiency, renewables, technology deployment), monitoring and governance (data collection, reporting, review mechanisms), and consideration of uncertainties (technological progress, economic growth, behavioral changes).

In practice, an emissiepad supports decision-making by providing a reference against which policies and investments can be assessed. It guides prioritization of measures, investment planning, and international reporting. It is often aligned with national long-term strategies and international climate commitments, such as the Paris Agreement. Emissiepad scenarios are updated as new data becomes available or targets shift. The term is common in Dutch policy discourse and appears in reports by national and regional authorities, research institutes, and international bodies discussing climate trajectories.

See also: emissieroute, climate targets, carbon budget, scenario analysis.