Carbon Footprint, Climate Compliance & the EU Green Deal

This lesson equips Zambian SMEs with the practical knowledge and tools needed to measure, understand and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Participants will learn about Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions and how to calculate a basic carbon footprint for their business. Using lifecycle thinking, they will identify the main carbon hotspots across their value chain and explore opportunities to improve resource and energy efficiency.

The lesson will also introduce the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and its relevance to Zambian businesses involved in exporting covered products to the EU market. Participants will develop a simple climate action plan aligned with Zambia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and learn how to collect and report climate data in formats commonly required by EU-funded programmes and international partners.

By the end of the lesson, participants will be able to:

• Understand Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions and calculate a basic business carbon footprint.
• Apply lifecycle thinking to identify key carbon hotspots within their value chain.
• Understand CBAM and its potential relevance to Zambian exporters.
• Develop a simple climate action plan aligned with Zambia’s NDCs.
• Collect and report climate data using formats suitable for EU-funded programmes and international reporting requirements.