The Norwegian Climate Plan 2021: Towards a comprehensive emissions accounting framework that includes international trade

Traditional methods for calculating a country’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions account for the production processes taking place in that country. Emissions associated with goods that are produced elsewhere are not accounted for in the country’s total emissions, despite the fact that they are consumed within its borders. This means that a country could theoretically reduce its emissions by producing less and importing more. Consumption-based accounting addresses this problem.