Project Drawdown launches Carbon in Context, a powerful new tool for communicating climate change

Clear communication is essential for stopping climate change. Yet the technical nature of the problem makes such communication difficult, particularly when sharing greenhouse gas emissions, which are often presented as large, unwieldy numbers in units that are unfamiliar to most people. To overcome this challenge, Project Drawdown is launching Carbon in Context, a powerful calculator that converts greenhouse gas emissions metrics into easy-to-digest comparisons.

“It’s currently far too easy for greenwashers to hide behind gigatons, carbon dioxide equivalents, and other terms that can obfuscate the actual scale of their impact on the planet,” says Project Drawdown Senior Communications Manager Skylar Knight, who led the development of the new tool. “By turning confusing emissions numbers into straightforward comparisons, Carbon in Context can help those working in climate change, especially communicators and journalists, better connect with their audiences.” 

Built in partnership with the University of San Francisco Computer Science Program and Hard Refresh, Carbon in Context allows users to input emissions from any of the major greenhouse gases and quickly see how those emissions compare to more than a dozen reference points, such as the number of gas-fueled cars driven for a year or round-trip flights between Los Angeles and New York City.

For instance, if a direct air capture facility publishes a press release about its goal to store one million metric tons of carbon dioxide each year by 2030, a journalist reporting on the project can use Carbon in Context to share how that amount equates to just 8.6 minutes-worth of global emissions or the annual emissions from 2.5 natural gas power plants.

“As the world’s leading guide to science-based climate solutions, Project Drawdown is working tirelessly to provide people with the tools they need to take climate action,” Project Drawdown Executive Director Jonathan Foley, Ph.D., says. “When a journalist needs to ground greenhouse gas emissions in something more tangible for their readers or an investor needs to get a sense of how significant the emissions reduction potential of an emerging technology really is, Carbon in Context can help them do just that.”

To learn more or to use Carbon in Context, visit drawdown.org/carbon-in-context 

Press Contact

Project Drawdown Press Office, press@drawdown.org 

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About Project Drawdown
Project Drawdown is the world’s leading guide to science-based climate solutions. Our mission is to drive meaningful climate action around the world. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Project Drawdown is funded by individual and institutional donations.