New methodology version 3.0.0 empowers customers to track, compare, and act on complete carbon data across global operations
In a major stride toward deepening corporate climate accountability, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced a significant expansion of its Customer Carbon Footprint Tool (CCFT). The upgraded tool now includes Scope 3 emissions data, giving users a complete picture of their carbon footprint — from energy use to embedded emissions in infrastructure and supply chains.
Since its initial launch in 2022, the CCFT has served as a trusted platform for thousands of AWS customers, helping organizations measure, track, and analyze their cloud-related carbon emissions. With the latest update, AWS aims to make sustainability tracking not only more comprehensive but also actionable and transparent.
“This expansion marks a key milestone in enabling every AWS customer to integrate carbon awareness into their digital operations,” said an AWS sustainability spokesperson. “We’re empowering users to understand not just the direct impact of their cloud usage but also the broader climate implications across their value chain.”
A Complete Carbon Picture: Scope 1, 2, and Now 3
The Customer Carbon Footprint Tool already provided data on Scope 1 and 2 emissions, including direct emissions from fuel combustion and indirect emissions from electricity use in data centers. With Scope 3 added, AWS customers can now analyze indirect upstream and downstream emissions — often the largest and most complex part of a company’s carbon footprint.
This includes:
- Fuel and energy-related activities (FERA): capturing upstream emissions from purchased fuels and electricity transmission losses.
- IT hardware: tracking embodied carbon from raw material extraction to manufacturing and delivery of equipment used in AWS data centers.
- Buildings and equipment: calculating lifecycle emissions from data center construction, use, and decommissioning, using whole building life cycle assessment (wbLCA) models.
The updated methodology (version 3.0.0) introduces a cradle-to-gate and amortized approach, meaning emissions are distributed fairly across the operational lifespan of assets — six years for IT hardware and fifty years for data center buildings. This ensures customers see an accurate, time-based reflection of their carbon use.
Independent Verification and Methodological Rigor
Transparency and credibility are central to the CCFT’s design. The updated methodology has been independently verified by a third-party auditor, aligning it with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, the global gold standard for emissions accounting.
AWS also recalculated historical emissions data back to January 2022 under this new model, ensuring consistency and comparability for users tracking progress over multiple years. This update enables companies to conduct year-over-year comparisons based on the same scientific foundation — critical for reporting and ESG benchmarking.
“By expanding the CCFT and independently verifying our approach, we’re helping organizations build trust in their sustainability reporting,” said the AWS sustainability team. “Our goal is to make carbon transparency the new default in cloud operations.”
User-Friendly Access and Visual Insights
The Customer Carbon Footprint Tool can now be accessed directly through the AWS Billing and Cost Management console, under Cost and Usage Analysis. From there, users can:
- View their emissions in an interactive dashboard
- Download CSV reports for detailed analysis
- Integrate with AWS Data Exports or Amazon QuickSight for advanced visualization and trend insights
The tool presents emissions both through market-based methods (MBM) and location-based methods (LBM) — giving flexibility to align with different reporting standards.
For example, the dashboard now allows customers to toggle between these methodologies and view trends across 38 months of data, measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO₂e) — the international standard unit for greenhouse gases.
Bringing Visibility to Every AWS Region
One of the major upgrades made earlier this year was the region-wise emissions visibility. Customers can now track and compare the carbon footprint of their workloads across AWS Regions, enabling smarter decisions about where to run applications or store data to minimize environmental impact.
For global enterprises and startups alike, this feature helps balance performance, cost, and sustainability — three pillars of modern cloud strategy.
Driving Real-World Impact Through Digital Accountability
The inclusion of Scope 3 emissions marks a pivotal moment for digital sustainability. As organizations race to meet net-zero targets, understanding the full breadth of their emissions is vital.
By revealing emissions tied to infrastructure, hardware production, and construction — areas often hidden in traditional carbon accounting — AWS is helping customers turn data into decarbonization strategies.
Businesses can now identify hotspots in their operations, forecast future emissions scenarios, and set science-based targets with higher precision.
Sustainability experts note that this move could redefine climate accountability in the tech industry. By integrating lifecycle emissions into a customer-facing tool, AWS sets a precedent for open, data-driven sustainability leadership.
Empowering the Global Sustainability Ecosystem
Beyond emissions tracking, AWS continues to invest in renewable energy projects, energy-efficient data center designs, and circular material use across its operations. The company remains on track to power its global infrastructure with 100% renewable energy by 2025.
This commitment aligns with the expansion of CCFT — ensuring that as AWS drives its own decarbonization, its customers can join the journey with accurate, actionable data.
For cloud users navigating ESG compliance, the CCFT update is more than a reporting tool — it’s a strategic compass for climate-positive decision-making.
A Clearer Path to Carbon Clarity
With this expansion, the Customer Carbon Footprint Tool becomes one of the most comprehensive digital emissions tracking systems in the world. It bridges the gap between corporate ambition and measurable action — helping organizations everywhere visualize their impact and accelerate climate progress.
As sustainability becomes a central pillar of business growth, tools like AWS’s CCFT are proving that transparency, technology, and transformation can work hand in hand for a greener digital future.
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