Greenhouse-gas inventory and carbon-credit estimation for cold-chain logistics enterprises in Vietnam

This study develops a systematic greenhouse-gas (GHG) inventory and provides a preliminary estimation of carbon-credit potential for a logistics enterprise operating within the cold-chain sector. The inventory methodology is based on the IPCC Guidelines and complies with the emission accounting procedures mandated by Circular No. 38/2023/TT-BCT of Vietnam. Primary data on electricity consumption, fuel use, refrigerants, and fire suppression systems were collected from August 2024 to April 2025 and analyzed to quantify the enterprise’s CO₂-equivalent (CO₂_eq) emissions. The results demonstrated that electricity consumption constitutes the dominant emission source, with 4,093 tCO₂_eq and 3,489 tCO₂_eq at Lotte Logistic and AJ Cold Storage, respectively. This emission source occupied about more than 60% of total emissions, highlighting critical vulnerabilities in energy-intensive cold storage operations. Building on these findings, the study evaluates emission reduction scenarios that focus on improving energy efficiency, promoting renewable energy, and enhancing forest management, and subsequently estimates the associated carbon-credit potential using the Gold Standard methodology. The results underscore the enterprise’s capacity to participate in the voluntary carbon market while contributing to national decarbonization objectives. From a systems science and operations perspective, the study provides quantitative evidence to inform logistics enterprises in designing low-carbon strategies, integrating carbon markets into operational planning, and strengthening the resilience of cold-chain systems in transition toward net-zero pathways.