What does the "societal services" item represent?

A collective share of your carbon footprint

In the Nos Gestes Climat calculator, the "societal services" item represents the carbon impact of public services enjoyed by the entire population, scaled down to an individual level. 

Rather than attributing this impact to abstract public structures, it is redistributed among all residents of the canton, as everyone benefits from it directly or indirectly on a daily basis.

Why this "distribution" calculation is necessary

1. Because we cannot do without it:

   Each and every one of us uses public services, which include:

• Healthcare (hospitals, clinics, doctors' surgeries, pharmacies)
• Education (schools, universities, libraries)
• Infrastructure (roads, street lighting, transport)
• Security (police, fire brigade, justice system)
• Waste management and collection, water management, urban planning, etc.

Even if you don't use all of them directly every day, you benefit from them structurally. 

2. Because they cannot be measured individually: 

• It would be technically impossible (and unfair) to ask every citizen to declare:
• How much of the road they have used
• How many litres of public water they have consumed
• The exact amount of money spent on them for health or education 

The data available on these items is aggregate and does not allow for individual attribution.

How is this share calculated?

The total carbon impact of Geneva's public services is:

• Estimated on a territorial scale
• Divided by the number of residents
• Attributed to each profile in the calculator as a 'societal base'
  It is therefore a common flat rate, reflecting the reality of living together in an organised and equipped territory.

Why is this item often underestimated?

The "societal services" item may seem abstract, as it is not visible in our personal choices, such as buying a car or a carton of milk. However:

• It represents more than one tonne of CO₂e/year/person.
• It cannot be reduced individually.
• It will have to evolve collectively through the transition of local authorities, the energy renovation of public buildings, and the decarbonisation of health and education systems, etc.

Conclusion – A reminder that the transition is also collective

The "societal services" item is a fundamental reminder: we live in shared systems, and our carbon footprint does not depend solely on our individual choices. Ecological transformation will also require collective decisions and massive public investment.

To go further:
https://www.ge.ch/document/bilan-carbone-du-territoire-cantonal-resultats-encourageants
https://www.ge.ch/document/bilan-emissions-gaz-effet-serre