CarbonIQ Emissions Calculator

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reporting and management are still in their infancy and voluntary. Today, more than 300 companies, including CBC/Radio-Canada, have committed to the Canada Net-Zero Challenge 2050, the Government of Canada's commitment to carbon neutrality, and that number is growing every day.

There are currently no regulations on the accounting of Scope 3 emissions for investments in marketing and advertising activities. For Canada to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, collaboration and innovation will be required across all sectors of society, including the media and advertising sector.

By the Numbers

71t: 71 tonnes of CO2e: The emissions from an average web campaign, comparable to the emissions from a gas tanker trucks' combustion.*

90%: Average percentage of Scope 3 GHG emissions from a company's overall emissions, making it very important to measure them accurately.

2.7x: The distance from Halifax to Vancouver for every 10 million impressions on CBC/Radio-Canada's linear channels.*

3.2x: The distance from Halifax to Vancouver for every 10 million impressions on CBC/Radio-Canada's digital channels.**

* Source: Nana et al., 2024
** Source: NetZeroMedia, Whitepaper “CBC Radio-Canada Carbon Emission Calculations”, October 2025

Introducing CarbonIQ

1. The issue

Afficher/Cacher 1. The issue

The global advertising industry is responsible for 2.1% to 3.9% of the world's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. This is comparable to the emissions of the entire aviation industry.

For an organization the size of CBC/Radio-Canada, the impact of advertising on GHG emissions is not negligible and adds up quickly.

2. Our Mission for CarbonIQ

Like the rest of CBC/Radio-Canada, our team is working to reduce its carbon footprint. That's why we have created an innovative and effective calculator for GHG emissions from advertising.

The calculator's mission is to:
- Make advertisers aware of the carbon footprint of their advertising campaigns.
- Provide a precise way to measure emissions from their TV and digital campaigns.
- Help establish common standards to support the industry's transition to carbon neutrality.

3. What CarbonIQ Measures

4. How CarbonIQ Works

CBC/Radio-Canada's CarbonIQ Emissions Calculator was established with Net Zero Media based on the Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF) on an internal linear and digital calculator, and with Scope3 for the programmatic component.

The CarbonIQ calculator is based on an approach that leverages a direct activity measurement method.

Following a comprehensive audit of CBC/Radio-Canada's and its partners' advertising activities, NZM identified the elements in the organization's value chain that lead to GHG emissions.

A specific emission factor was therefore calculated for each type of activity, allowing for the automatic measurement of actual emissions with greater granularity. Advertisers will thus be able to receive a report on GHGs either per campaign, per quarter, or even during the planning phase.

By studying the emissions resulting from CBC/Radio-Canada's advertising activities through the CarbonIQ calculator, it is possible to effectively measure the emissions of each of CBC/Radio-Canada's advertising channels.

1. The issue

The global advertising industry is responsible for 2.1% to 3.9% of the world's Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. This is comparable to the emissions of the entire aviation industry.

For an organization the size of CBC/Radio-Canada, the impact of advertising on GHG emissions is not negligible and adds up quickly.

2. Our Mission for CarbonIQ

Like the rest of CBC/Radio-Canada, our team is working to reduce its carbon footprint. That's why we have created an innovative and effective calculator for GHG emissions from advertising.

3. What CarbonIQ Measures

Scope 1, 2 and 3 are categories of GHG emissions used to assess an organization's carbon footprint. The CarbonIQ calculator makes it possible to estimate Scope 3, which is the volume attributable to advertisements that reverts to advertisers and forms part of their carbon footprint.

4. How CarbonIQ Works

The CarbonIQ calculator is based on an approach that leverages a direct activity measurement method.

Following a comprehensive audit of CBC/Radio-Canada's and its partners' advertising activities, NZM identified the elements in the organization's value chain that lead to GHG emissions.

White Paper: Measuring Carbon Emissions from Media Advertising

This White Paper marks a significant step forward in acknowledging and addressing the environmental impact of the advertising industry. It delves into the proactive and innovative approach undertaken by CBC & Radio-Canada Media Solutions, in configuring and implementing a predictive carbon measurement and reporting platform.

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