jalanjäljen

Jalanjäljen is a Finnish term used to describe the environmental footprint of a person, organization, product, or event, most commonly referring to the carbon footprint. It represents the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly and indirectly as a consequence of the entity’s activities, usually expressed in kilograms or tonnes of CO2-equivalents (CO2e) per year or per unit of product.

Calculation of jalanjäljen typically relies on life cycle assessment methods or standardized accounting frameworks such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Emissions are counted across scope boundaries that may include direct (Scope 1), energy-related indirect (Scope 2), and other indirect emissions in the value chain (Scope 3). For individuals, the footprint encompasses energy use at home, transportation, food and goods, services, and waste. For products and organizations, it covers production, distribution, use, and end-of-life stages.

Applications of jalanjäljen include informing personal or organizational decisions, guiding sustainability targets, and supporting transparency through product labels and corporate reporting. It is often used in policy discussions, climate action planning, and consumer choice, with product carbon footprints and environmental declarations serving as common tools.

Limitations and debate surround jalanjäljen, including methodological boundaries, data quality, and regional differences that can yield varying results. The metric focuses on greenhouse gases and may not capture broader ecological impacts. As a communication tool, it complements other environmental indicators rather than replacing them.