carbon footprint

American  

noun

1. the amount of carbon dioxide or other carbon compounds emitted into the atmosphere by the activities of an individual, company, country, etc..

   the carbon footprint of an overseas flight;

   how to measure your carbon footprint.

---

carbon footprint British  

noun

1. a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by a single endeavour or by a company, household, or individual through day-to-day activities over a given period

---

Etymology

Origin of carbon footprint

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

There are also concerns that further exploration would lead to new fossil fuel supplies being found and extracted, increasing the UK's carbon footprint rather than reducing it.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

A new border tax will penalize imports based on their carbon footprint, but it isn’t clear how exactly that will work in this complicated supply chain, said Matthew Thoelke of Chemical Market Analytics.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

One would hate to see the carbon footprint of these AI trials.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 23, 2026

Advocates for carbon capture say part of the reason it’s not making much of a dent in the nation’s carbon footprint is because there hasn’t been enough investment to make it financially viable.

From MarketWatch • Dec. 6, 2025

Compared to conventional marine fuels, green methanol has a lower carbon footprint, cutting emissions by up to 65 percent, according to shipping firms.

From Barron's • Nov. 24, 2025