Design and Development of a Web-Based Platform to Track Carbon Footprint

Climate change is a critical global challenge demanding both systemic change and localized, individual action. Climate change poses a growing threat to Zambia’s social, economic, and environmental systems, yet carbon footprint literacy and access to personalized sustainability tools remain limited. This study presents the design and development of a web-based carbon footprint tracking platform specifically tailored to bridge this awareness-action gap in the Zambian context, integrating global carbon accounting standards with local emission factors and national climate policies. A baseline study involving Zambian respondents assessed climate change awareness, understanding of carbon footprint concepts, environmental attitudes, digital readiness, and acceptance of AI guided recommendations. The findings revealed that although awareness of climate change is moderately high, knowledge of carbon footprint principles remains low. Digital readiness is increasing particularly among educated and urban groups yet there is still a strong need for simplified interfaces, localized examples, and clear explanations to support meaningful engagement.
The system was developed using a Design Science Research methodology and implemented as a modular web platform built in React. Emissions calculation followed the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol, IPCC 2006 Guidelines, and Zambia’s Carbon Market Framework, using national emission factors. The calculator supports multiple sectors including electricity, transport, agriculture, waste, and forestry. A Retrieval-Augmented Generation engine was integrated to deliver personalized, Zambia-specific sustainability recommendations, combining local mitigation practices, national policy guidelines, and empirically validated behavioral insights. The tool effectively bridges the gap between users’ limited carbon literacy and the need for localized climate-action guidance at individual and community level.

This research contributes a validated methodological framework and a practical digital solution that aligns with Zambia’s Measurement, Reporting, and Verification requirements under the Green Economy and Climate Change Act. The system has significant potential for use in households, schools, businesses, and community programs, supporting national low-carbon development and climate education initiatives. Future work will focus on expanding datasets, integrating real-time energy, enhancing AI explainability, and aligning the platform with emerging carbon market opportunities in Zambia.