What’s not measured is not managed said the author and business consultant Peter Drucker, and that has never been truer than with regards to our carbon footprint. Which is why UNFCCC’s new climate footprint calculator is so important, as it measures everything from the products we purchase to the food we eat to the way we travel. “It is also designed to incorporate country-specific and city-specific calculations as they become available,” says Miguel Alejandro Naranjo Gonzalez, Programme Officer at UN Climate Change. “This means that users can get results tailored to their real location.”

The calculator was built in partnership with Doconomy, a Swedish fintech firm, who has created a number of calculators for businesses. Key in the development of the calculator is that it is open source, meaning the calculator’s software can be used by anyone. “We want everyone from individuals to organisations to be able to estimate the footprint of an individual or a household or a business in a credible, cost-free way, in order to raise awareness and encourage climate action,” Naranjo says. Indeed, it’s vital that those using the calculator don’t just measure their footprint, but also take steps to actively reduce it.

So how does this calculator differ from previous versions? It expands significantly the sources of emissions from which users can estimate their footprint,” Naranjo says. “In particular, it now allows for estimation of the footprint of products purchased, which is a very important category to show the impact of our consumption habits.”

While there’s plenty of data to measure the impact of different activities, until now it’s been hard for consumers to access that data in one place. The Lifestyle Calculator was designed to offer consumers an intuitive, fast way to measure their impact – and hopefully make lifestyle changes based upon their findings. These changes may seem small, but they all add up to make a big difference.

The Lifestyle Calculator uses a database of emissions data for the ‘cradle-to-gate’ emissions generated by materials used in all parts and packaging of products, looking at the average energy consumed during processing, manufacturing, and transportation.

It allows users to drill down even further within existing emissions sources, within everything from types of diet to transportation choices. The calculator took ten months to develop. “The development of the methodology took approximately five months, while the development of the technology took five months as well,” says Gonzalez.

Using the Lifestyle Calculator couldn’t be easier. Just answer a series of simple questions that quickly build a clear picture of your carbon footprint, allowing you to take decisive steps – today.

In just 10 minutes you’ll have an insight into how your lifestyle choices impact the climate – some positive, some negative, allowing you to make simple, smart decisions that benefit everyone.

So, if you want to measure (and reduce!) your emissions, you can start using the Lifestyle Calculator here.