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Counterfactual

A clearly specified alternative describing what would happen without the intervention being assessed.

Definition

A clearly specified alternative describing what would happen without the intervention being assessed. Follow the related lesson to see how this term changes a system boundary or decision.

Learn this term in context

Carbon accounting, boundaries and counterfactuals

Carbon claims depend on what flows are counted, over what time, compared with which alternative and under whose attribution.

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REFERENCES

References & further reading

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2026). Sustainable and circular bioeconomy: glossary and key terms.Open source ↗