Who this is for
This planner is for businesses, consultants and internal sustainability teams that already have a baseline emissions picture and need to turn it into a usable reduction pathway. It is helpful once the question moves from “what do we emit?” to “how do we phase reductions and understand the residual?”
What it helps you estimate
- How a current emissions baseline could reduce over time
- What residual emissions remain in a target year
- How large an offset or removal requirement that residual implies
- Whether the current pathway feels credible or over-optimistic
A net zero plan should expose the residual, not hide it. The point is to make the gap between planned reductions and final neutrality visible enough to manage.
Typical use cases
Building a first operational pathway
Once a business has a baseline footprint, the planner helps translate ambition into a phased emissions path rather than a single target date.
Testing whether the target is realistic
If residual emissions are still large near the target year, that may not invalidate the plan, but it does change how offsets, removals or supplier interventions should be discussed.
Connecting planning to carbon strategy
The planner becomes more useful when linked back to footprint work and forward into pricing or offset strategy.
Build the pathway inside the planner
Open the Net Zero Planner in The Carbon Workbench to move from baseline emissions into staged reductions and residual view.
Open in Pro →
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a footprint first?
Yes. A planner is only as useful as the baseline it starts from.
Is this a reporting tool?
No. It is a planning tool designed to help structure thinking and model a pathway.
Can it replace a detailed decarbonisation strategy?
No. It works best as a practical first-pass planning layer, not as a substitute for full operational transition planning.
Learn about this calculator
