The brief
The (fictional) owners want to know their carbon footprint for the 2025 calendar year, mainly to answer questions from European tour operators and to decide whether solar power is worth it. They keep fuel receipts and electricity bills, but have never measured emissions before.
Boundary and method
- Standard: GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, operational-control approach.
- Period: 1 January – 31 December 2025.
- Scope 1: diesel for the backup generator and two vehicles; LPG for cooking and space heating.
- Scope 2: grid electricity, location-based.
- Scope 3: screened but not quantified in this first year (food purchases, waste, guest travel). Guest travel to Hunza is likely the largest Scope 3 item and is flagged for year two.
- Gases: CO₂ only. Methane and nitrous oxide from fuel combustion are usually a small share and would be added in a full inventory.
Results
| Source | Scope | Activity | Factor | t CO₂ | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diesel generator | Scope 1 | 3,600 L | 2.68 kg/L | 9.6 | 19% |
| Diesel vehicles (2) | Scope 1 | 4,200 L | 2.68 kg/L | 11.2 | 23% |
| LPG (kitchen, heating) | Scope 1 | 2,400 kg | 2.98 kg/kg | 7.2 | 15% |
| Grid electricity | Scope 2 | 48,000 kWh | 0.45 t/MWh | 21.6 | 44% |
| Total | 49.6 | 100% |
The intensity figure assumes 5,000 occupied room-nights in the year. Grid electricity is the single largest source, but on-site fuels together make up more than half of the footprint.
Emission factors used
| Fuel | IPCC 2006 default | Factor used |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel (gas/diesel oil) | 74,100 kg CO₂/TJ; 43.0 TJ/Gg net calorific value; density 0.84 kg/L assumed | 2.68 kg CO₂/L |
| LPG | 63,100 kg CO₂/TJ; 47.3 TJ/Gg net calorific value | 2.98 kg CO₂/kg |
| Grid electricity, Pakistan | No single official value found; see below | 0.45 t CO₂/MWh |
The grid-factor problem
Pakistan has no single, current, official grid emission factor that every reporter uses. Published estimates differ a lot depending on the year and method: a 2014 peer-reviewed study put the baseline at roughly 0.48–0.61 t CO₂/MWh, a registered carbon-credit project used 0.426, and a 2025 carbon-intensity tracker estimated about 0.245. Hydropower also makes the grid cleaner in summer than in winter.
| Grid factor (t CO₂/MWh) | Scope 2 (t) | Total (t) |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25 · low estimate | 12.0 | 40.0 |
| 0.45 · central assumption used | 21.6 | 49.6 |
| 0.60 · high estimate | 28.8 | 56.8 |
Why this matters: the choice of grid factor moves the total by up to about 20% either way. In a real project I agree the factor with the client before calculating, and I state it clearly so the next year's inventory uses the same basis.
GRI 305 disclosure excerpt
This is how the results would appear in the guesthouse's sustainability report:
305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions
In 2025 our direct emissions were 28.0 tonnes of CO₂, from diesel used by our backup generator and two vehicles, and LPG used for cooking and heating. Figures cover CO₂ only and use IPCC 2006 default emission factors. 2025 is our base year.
305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions
Location-based emissions from purchased grid electricity were 21.6 tonnes of CO₂, using a grid emission factor of 0.45 t CO₂/MWh. Because published factors for Pakistan range from about 0.25 to 0.60, the true figure could lie between 12.0 and 28.8 tonnes.
305-4 GHG emissions intensity
Our Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity was 9.9 kg CO₂ per occupied room-night, based on 5,000 occupied room-nights.
Next steps I would recommend
- Price a rooftop solar and battery system. It would cut both grid electricity and generator diesel, the two largest sources.
- Improve insulation and heating controls before the winter season, to reduce LPG use.
- Start logging fuel by month, so next year's inventory can separate seasonal use and show progress.
- Add Scope 3 in year two, starting with a simple estimate of guest travel.
Sources
- IPCC (2006). 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Volume 2, Energy: default net calorific values and CO₂ emission factors.
- WRI/WBCSD. The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard.
- GRI. GRI 305: Emissions 2016.
- Pakistan grid estimates: Yousuf et al. (2014), UNFCCC CDM project review, LowCarbonPower (2025).
Need something like this?
Tell me about your project and I will send a fixed quote within two working days.