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
- 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. - 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