Using FLAG data in Climatiq

This guide explains why FLAG is important, how FLAG emission factors are presented in Climatiq’s tools, what sources provide data, and current limitations to be aware of.

What is FLAG and why it’s important

FLAG refers to Forest, Land and Agriculture under the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) guidance. These sources are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. The Climatiq guide to FLAG emissions  provides further explanation.

The components of FLAG data and how they are shown in Climatiq

The SBTi splits emissions as follows:

Total emissions = FLAG + Non-FLAG

where FLAG = land use change + land management

These FLAG indicators are given in the API response and in Excel results if you have the necessary paid add-on and the data source provides FLAG numbers. PCF Studio provides a standard LCA breakdown that includes land use change. The table below shows how they are named in each tool:

See the API reference and Excel guide for more details on how to use each tool. In Excel you need to change Output Settings in the Settings menu of the Climatiq sidebar (accessed via the Home toolbar). Check the tick-box for “Land & agriculture (FLAG) emissions”.

FLAG sources and datasets

Indicators are given status “screening” where the indicators do not necessarily follow GHGP / SBTi guidance, but provide a reasonable estimate for current reporting and internal use. Please have a look at the Climatiq guide to FLAG emissions  for a more detailed explanation on the GHGP and SBTi guidances for FLAG indicators.

Note that other sources (e.g. WRAP) also provide emission factors in FLAG sectors but these do not provide a breakdown into the component indicators. Only sources that provide a breakdown are covered below.

Agribalyse (3.2)

Indicators: land use change, land management, FLAG total | Status: Screening

Methodology

Land use change: Provided by the source. No adjustments have been made. This can be negative (see limitations below).

FLAG total: Calculated by Climatiq as all emissions from the “agriculture” LCA stage plus biogenic and land-use change emissions from other LCA stages.

Land management: Calculated by Climatiq as “FLAG total” minus “Land use change”. Where land use change is negative, land management will be larger than the FLAG total.

All agricultural stage emissions are likely to be FLAG; this includes fossil emissions which mainly come from fertilizer application, a key component of FLAG. All land-use change emissions and biogenic (e.g. methane from cows) emissions also come under FLAG by definition.

Lifecycle stages: If you select an emission factor with lifecycle activity “agriculture” then FLAG emissions will equal total emissions. If you select lifecycle activity “packaging” then FLAG emissions equal biogenic plus land-use change emissions. If you select a composite lifecycle activity (e.g. cradle_to_gate) then FLAG emissions equal all agriculture emissions plus biogenic and land-use change from the other stages (transformation, packaging, and transport).

Limitations and future developments

Some emission factors include negative values for carbon storage within land use change such as change to pasture or tree crops. This makes them unsuitable for use from 2027 when the new GHGP Land Sector guidance comes into effect. As negative land-use change values will understate total emissions, we recommend checking the land-use change values for all emission factors you use and where these are negative, deducting them from the FLAG total before using them.

Future: Agribalyse is planning to release a revised dataset with FLAG estimates in late 2026. See here .

CEDA (FLAG extension dataset)

Indicators: land use change, land management, FLAG total | Status: Aligned with current GHGP guidance according to the source. Not yet aligned with new Land Sector guidance.

Methodology

All FLAG indicators come straight from the data provided by CEDA. See the source methodology here .

Limitations and future developments

Some emission factors include negative values for carbon storage within land use change. This makes them unsuitable for use from 2027 when the new GHGP Land Sector guidance comes into effect.

As negative land-use change values will understate total emissions, we recommend checking the land-use change values for all emission factors you use and where these are negative, deducting them from the FLAG total before using them. Note that this might not capture all carbon removals as some may be netted out against larger emissions and hence hidden, but it will help minimize potential understatements of emissions.

Future: CEDA is planning to release a revised dataset in late 2026 that is aligned with the new GHGP Land Sector Guidance, ready for when it comes into effect in 2027.

EXIOBASE (3.11)

Indicators: land use change, land management, FLAG total | Status: Screening

Methodology

FLAG and land use change: Provided by EXIOBASE.

Land management: Calculated by Climatiq as “FLAG total” minus “Land use change”.

Limitations

Land use change numbers are for deforestation only and may not include emissions from other land-use changes (e.g. pasture to crops).

As these are spend-based estimates based on MRIO models drawing on data from multiple regions, it is unlikely that they meet the SBTi definitions.