CO2 equivalent (CO2-eq) is used to express the amount of each gas that would have the same warming effect as a given amount of CO2. Greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide, trap heat from the sun and cause the Earth's temperature to rise. CO2 is the most common greenhouse gas, but others can also contribute to global warming.

In order to assess Global warming the IPCC 2013 100-year method is used. Which means that all the released emissions within a time frame of 100 years are taken into account.

The carbon footprint of a product is simply the sum of its CO2 equivalent emissions. Click here for more information if you encountered a negative CO2-eq.

In the eco-costs model used by the Pickler tool, the carbon footprint is one of the midpoints used to measure the environmental impact of a product (see also eco-costs). By taking into account the warming potential of different greenhouse gases, the tool helps identify ways to reduce the carbon footprint and move towards more sustainable practices. For more information on the carbon footprint and its role in the eco-costs model, visit https://www.ecocostsvalue.com/footprint/.