E-commerce Carbon Footprint Contribution: A Preliminary Investigation Framework

The growth of e-commerce has brought about a growing concern regarding its impact on the environment. Activities such as excessive packaging, delivery, and returns have contributed to increased carbon emissions, resulting in a significant carbon footprint. To promote a sustainable e-commerce environment, a study is needed to assess the carbon footprint contribution of online businesses. This paper presents a framework for conducting a preliminary investigation into the carbon production and emissions of identified e-commerce organizations. The framework was formulated by analyzing the relevant literature from similar studies. It comprises a 3-phase research activity: Phase 1 involves identifying carbon footprint factors through a literature search; Phase 2 includes conducting a case study on an online business to construct a carbon consumption profile; and Phase 3 involves developing a measurement method to assess the carbon consumption of online businesses. The proposed framework can provide a preliminary understanding of e-commerce’s carbon footprint contribution and enable authorities to assess the level of carbon consumption and devise action plans to reduce its impact on the environment. However, challenges and implications are associated with implementing the framework, which is discussed in the paper.