GLEC v3.0: how Dcycle calculates your logistics emissions

The GLEC Framework (Global Logistics Emissions Council) v3.0 is the international standard for calculating and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from logistics operations.

Dcycle implements this methodology so you can:

1. What it is: A standardised international methodology for calculating the CO₂ emissions of freight transport and warehouses.
2. How it works: It multiplies the tonnes you move × the kilometres they travel × an emission factor based on the vehicle type. For own fleet vehicles, it also multiplies fuel consumption by TTW (Tank-to-Wheel) emission factors.
3. What it is for: Reporting to your customers how much their freight movement emits, and meeting obligations under frameworks such as CSRD, SBTi, and Lean & Green reduction plans.

Core principles of GLEC

The framework is built on four principles:

• Consistency: Standardised calculation methods across all transport modes.
• Transparency: Clear reporting of emission factors and calculation methods.
• Completeness: Coverage of all three GHG Protocol scopes.
• Accuracy: Proper handling of distance adjustments and activity data.

How the calculation is structured

1. Activity-based calculation: Emissions are calculated from transport activity (tonne-kilometres, tkm).
2. Scope separation: Clear distinction between Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
3. Well-to-Wheel (WTW): Full lifecycle emissions, including fuel production.
4. Intensity values: Calculation of emission intensity per unit of activity (gCO₂e/tkm).

Contents of this series

This series of articles takes you step by step through the core concepts of GLEC:

1. Tonne-Kilometre (tkm): the “currency” of transport — What it is and why it is the base unit of every calculation.
2. Scope 3 “shipped goods” vs. GLEC logistics — Differences between GHG Protocol and GLEC.
3. Shipping an order from Madrid to Seville using GLEC — How a shipment breaks down into legs and packages.
4. Per-package calculations — Why tkm eliminates the double-counting problem.
5. Last-mile capillary routes — How to handle multi-stop routes under GLEC.
6. Corporate footprint vs. GLEC: differences and connections — How GLEC fits within your corporate footprint.