EFDB? Emission Factor Database

EcoVision
Nov 20
2 min read

Updated: Nov 21

Emission Factor Database (EFDB) is an essential tool in carbon accounting and auditing. Let’s me give you some ideas:

What Is the Emission Factor Database (EFDB)?

The EFDB is a global reference database of emission factors — values used to estimate the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released from specific activities or energy use.

It is maintained by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to support consistent and transparent GHG inventories around the world.

Purpose of the EFDB

To provide standardized emission factors for calculating GHG emissions.
To enhance accuracy and comparability between countries, industries, and organizations.
To help nations and companies develop reliable carbon inventories for climate reporting (e.g., under the Paris Agreement).

What Is an Emission Factor (EF)?

An Emission Factor is a coefficient that links an activity to the amount of GHG emitted.

Simple Formula: Emissions (CO₂e) = Activity Data × Emission Factor

Example:

If burning 1 liter of diesel emits 2.68 kg CO₂e, the emission factor for diesel = 2.68 kg CO₂e/L.

So, if a vehicle uses 1,000 liters, then:

1,000 L × 2.68 = 2,680 kg CO₂e

🧾 Contents of the EFDB

The IPCC’s EFDB includes emission factors for:

Category	Example Sources	Common Gases
Energy	Coal, oil, natural gas, transport fuels	CO₂, CH₄, N₂O
Industrial Processes	Cement, steel, chemicals	CO₂, HFCs, PFCs
Agriculture	Livestock, fertilizer use, rice cultivation	CH₄, N₂O
Waste	Landfills, wastewater	CH₄, N₂O
Land Use & Forestry (LULUCF)	Deforestation, reforestation	CO₂

🌐 Where to Access the EFDB

Official Website: https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/EFDB/
Hosted by the IPCC Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (TFI).
It’s freely available — searchable by sector, activity, gas, region, and data source.
You can search, view, and download emission factors without any login or payment.
On the site you can:
- Browse by sector (energy, waste, agriculture, etc.)
- Filter by region or country
- Find data sources and references for each emission factor
⚠️ Note
- While EFDB itself is free, some third-party carbon accounting tools or software platforms that use EFDB data may charge service fees — but that’s for their tool, not the database.
- The IPCC’s own EFDB site remains 100% open-access.

🧠 Why It’s Important

Reason	Description
Consistency	Ensures all users calculate emissions using recognized methods.
Credibility	Improves transparency and comparability in GHG reports.
Compliance	Used by governments for official UNFCCC reporting.
Accuracy	Uses peer‑reviewed and verified scientific data.

💡 Example Use‑Case

A company performing a carbon audit can use EFDB to:

Look up emission factors for its country and sector (e.g., electricity in Japan).
Multiply by consumption data (e.g., kWh, liters of fuel).
Calculate and report GHG emissions accurately.

✅ Quick Summary

Term	Meaning
EF	Numerical value linking activity to emissions
EFDB	IPCC database of global emission factors
Use	Estimating GHG emissions for inventories and audits
Access	Free online at the IPCC website