S3. Category 4: Upstream Transportation and Distribution

Understanding Scope 3 Category 4

Upstream transportation and distribution covers emissions from transporting and distributing products purchased by your organization—in vehicles and facilities not owned or controlled by you. According to the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard, Category 4 includes:

Inbound logistics: Transportation of purchased goods from Tier 1 suppliers to your facilities
Third-party distribution: Distribution services purchased for inbound goods
Transportation between facilities: Movement between your locations (if using third-party logistics)

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              SCOPE 3 CATEGORY 4: Upstream Transportation                    │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                             │
│  YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN (UPSTREAM)                         YOUR OPERATIONS       │
│  ───────────────────────────────────────────          ─────────────────     │
│                                                                             │
│  ┌──────────────┐      ┌──────────────┐      ┌──────────────┐               │
│  │   Tier 2     │      │   Tier 1     │      │    Your      │               │
│  │  Suppliers   │ ───► │  Suppliers   │ ───► │  Facilities  │               │
│  │              │      │              │      │              │               │
│  └──────────────┘      └──────────────┘      └──────────────┘               │
│         │                     │                     ▲                       │
│         │                     │                     │                       │
│         └─────────────────────┴─────────────────────┘                       │
│                                     │                                       │
│                        ┌────────────▼────────────┐                          │
│                        │      CATEGORY 4         │                          │
│                        │  Transportation of      │                          │
│                        │  purchased goods to     │                          │
│                        │  your organization      │                          │
│                        │  from Tier 1 suppliers  │                          │
│                        └─────────────────────────┘                          │
│                                                                             │
│  INCLUDED IN CATEGORY 4:                                                    │
│  • Third-party trucking services                                            │
│  • Rail freight (purchased services)                                        │
│  • Air cargo (inbound shipments)                                            │
│  • Maritime shipping (imports)                                              │
│  • Courier and parcel services                                              │
│  • Warehousing & distribution centers (third-party)                         │
│                                                                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Category 4 vs Category 9

Category 4 (Upstream): Transportation of products you purchase from suppliers to your facilities
Category 9 (Downstream): Transportation of products you sell from your facilities to customers

Important ClarificationsOutbound logistics you pay for = Category 4 (not Category 9)If your company purchases outbound logistics services (e.g., you hire a carrier to deliver products to your customers), those emissions belong in Category 4—not Category 9. This is because Category 4 includes all transportation services you purchase, regardless of direction. Category 9 only applies when the customer arranges and pays for transportation.Upstream of Tier 1 = Category 1 (not Category 4)Transportation between your Tier 2 and Tier 1 suppliers (i.e., upstream of your direct suppliers) is not included in Category 4. Those emissions are already embedded in Category 1 (Purchased Goods and Services) as part of the cradle-to-gate footprint of the products you purchase.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

Dcycle API credentials (get them here)
Completed Step 1: Company Structure
Shipment data: origin, destination, weight/volume, transport mode
Basic knowledge of Python or JavaScript

Using the Dcycle App?You can track upstream transportation through our web interface:

Upload received goods (ES) - For inbound shipments
Upload via CSV for bulk data

Data Map: Category 4 Requirements Overview

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                   CATEGORY 4 DATA REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW                                  │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                                         │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │ TRANSPORT ROUTE (Per shipment)                                                  │   │
│  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤   │
│  │                                                                                 │   │
│  │  Required Fields              Optional Fields                                   │   │
│  │  ──────────────────           ──────────────────                                │   │
│  │  • start_date                 • name (shipment name)                            │   │
│  │  • end_date                   • supplier (supplier name)                        │   │
│  │  • quantity_transported       • refrigerated (true/false)                       │   │
│  │  • unit_id (kg or tonnes)                                                       │   │
│  │  • transport_direction                                                          │   │
│  │    ("upstream" for Cat 4)                                                       │   │
│  │                                                                                 │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                                         │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │ TRANSPORT SECTIONS (Per leg of journey)                                         │   │
│  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤   │
│  │                                                                                 │   │
│  │  Conditionally Required       Optional Fields                                   │   │
│  │  ──────────────────────       ──────────────────                                │   │
│  │  • origin (city/address)*     • travel_method (car/truck                        │   │
│  │  • destination (city/addr)*     for road transport)                             │   │
│  │  • transport_type             • electric (true/false)                           │   │
│  │    (air/road/rail/maritime/                                                     │   │
│  │     unknown)                                                                    │   │
│  │  • kms (distance)*                                                              │   │
│  │                                                                                 │   │
│  │  * See conditional requirements below                                           │   │
│  │                                                                                 │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                                         │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐   │
│  │ CALCULATION FLOW                                                                │   │
│  ├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤   │
│  │                                                                                 │   │
│  │  Origin + Destination ──► Geocoding ──► Distance (kms)                          │   │
│  │                                             │                                   │   │
│  │  transport_type + electric + refrigerated ──┼──► Emission Factor                │   │
│  │                                             │                                   │   │
│  │  Quantity (kg/t) × Distance (km) × EF ──────┴──► CO₂e (kg)                      │   │
│  │                                                                                 │   │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘   │
│                                                                                         │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Unknown Transport TypeIf the transport type (vehicle) is unknown, you can set transport_type: "unknown" and Dcycle will estimate the most likely transport mode based on the origin and destination data.When using transport_type: "unknown":

Origin and destination are mandatory - Dcycle needs location data to estimate the appropriate transport mode
The system analyzes the route characteristics (distance, countries involved) to determine if it’s likely road, rail, maritime, or air transport

Distance (kms) FieldThe kms field allows you to provide the exact distance if known. This is useful when:

You have precise distance data from your logistics provider
The route is non-standard (e.g., specific highway routes)
Geocoding might not accurately represent the actual route

Conditional requirements:

If kms is provided: Origin and destination are optional (distance is already known)
If kms is not provided: Origin and destination are mandatory (Dcycle calculates distance via geocoding)

Calculation Methods

Method 1: Distance-Based (Recommended)

The most accurate method uses the Dcycle Transport and Distribution API:

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    DISTANCE-BASED CALCULATION FLOW                           │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                              │
│  Your Data          Dcycle Processing                    Output             │
│  ─────────────      ──────────────────                   ──────             │
│                                                                              │
│  ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐    ┌──────────┐    ┌─────────────┐  │
│  │ Origin:     │    │ Geocoding:      │    │ Distance │    │ CO₂e (kg):  │  │
│  │ "Shanghai,  │ ─► │ Lat/Lng lookup  │ ─► │ ~20,000  │ ─► │ 2,450 kg    │  │
│  │  China"     │    │                 │    │ km       │    │             │  │
│  └─────────────┘    └─────────────────┘    └──────────┘    └─────────────┘  │
│                                                     │                       │
│  ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐             │                       │
│  │ Destination:│    │ Transport type: │             │                       │
│  │ "Rotterdam, │ ─► │ maritime        │ ────────────┤                       │
│  │  Netherlands│    │                 │             │                       │
│  └─────────────┘    └─────────────────┘             │                       │
│                                                     │                       │
│  ┌─────────────┐    ┌─────────────────┐             │                       │
│  │ Weight:     │    │ Emission Factor │             │                       │
│  │ 5,000 kg    │ ─► │ based on type,  │ ────────────┘                       │
│  │             │    │ electric, refrig│                                     │
│  └─────────────┘    └─────────────────┘                                     │
│                                                                              │
│  Formula: CO₂e = Quantity × Distance (km) × Emission Factor                 │
│                                                                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Transport Types

Dcycle supports four transport types:

Transport Type	Description	Use Case
`air`	Air freight	Express international, high-value goods
`road`	Road transport	Regional/national freight
`rail`	Rail freight	Bulk goods, continental routes
`maritime`	Sea freight	International shipping, containers

For road transport, you can further specify the travel_method:

truck - Heavy goods vehicles (default for freight)
car - Light vehicles
bicycle - Zero emission (non-electric)
electric_kick_scooter - Last-mile delivery
motorbike - Small deliveries

Additional Modifiers

Emission factors are adjusted based on:Electric vehicles:

Set electric: true for electric vehicles
Significantly lower emissions for road and rail

Refrigerated transport:

Set refrigerated: true for cold chain logistics
Adds ~10-20% to emissions due to cooling energy

Aircraft size (for air transport):

Automatically determined by distance
Short-haul vs long-haul aircraft have different factors

Emission Factor Sources

For transport and distribution, Dcycle uses emission factors from:Ecoinvent:

Comprehensive lifecycle emission factors by transport mode
Covers road, rail, air, and maritime transport
Accounts for vehicle type, fuel, and regional variations
Updated regularly with latest LCA data

Distance calculation:

Road/Rail/Air: Google Maps API for accurate routing
Maritime: CERDI distance databases

Step 1: Calculate Shipment Emissions

📋 Data Map: Single Shipment

Transport Route fields:

Field	Type	Required	Description	Example
`quantity_transported`	number	✅	Cargo weight	`5000`
`unit_id`	UUID	✅	Unit (kg or metric_tonne)	`"kg-unit-uuid"`
`start_date`	date	✅	Start of transport period	`"2024-01-15"`
`end_date`	date	✅	End of transport period	`"2024-01-20"`
`transport_direction`	string	✅	Direction	`"upstream"`
`supplier`	string	❌	Supplier name	`"Supplier A"`
`refrigerated`	boolean	❌	Cold chain transport	`false`

Transport Section fields:

Field	Type	Required	Description	Example
`origin`	string	⚠️	Supplier location (city, country)	`"Shanghai, China"`
`destination`	string	⚠️	Your facility location	`"Rotterdam, Netherlands"`
`transport_type`	string	✅	Mode of transport	`"maritime"` or `"unknown"`
`kms`	number	⚠️	Distance in kilometers	`19500`
`travel_method`	string	❌	Vehicle type (for road)	`"truck"`
`electric`	boolean	❌	Electric vehicle	`false`

⚠️ Conditional requirements:

If kms is provided → origin and destination are optional
If kms is NOT provided → origin and destination are required
If transport_type is "unknown" → origin and destination are required

Where to get this data:

Origin/Destination: Supplier address from purchase orders or invoices
Weight: Bill of lading, packing list, or purchase order
Transport type: Carrier information (air, road, rail, maritime) or “unknown”
Kms: Distance from logistics provider or transport invoice

Track individual inbound shipments from suppliers:

import requests
import os

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {os.getenv('DCYCLE_API_KEY')}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "x-organization-id": os.getenv("DCYCLE_ORG_ID"),
    "x-user-id": os.getenv("DCYCLE_USER_ID"),
}

# Get unit IDs
units = requests.get(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/units",
    headers=headers,
    params={"page": 1, "size": 100}
).json()
kg_unit = next(u for u in units['items'] if u['abbreviation'] == 'kg')

# Example: International sea freight from supplier
# Step 1: Create transport route
transport_route = {
    "start_date": "2024-01-15",
    "end_date": "2024-01-20",
    "quantity_transported": 5000,  # 5 tonnes
    "unit_id": kg_unit['id'],
    "transport_direction": "upstream",  # Category 4
    "supplier": "Supplier A - Shanghai",
    "refrigerated": False,
}

route_response = requests.post(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/transport_routes",
    headers=headers,
    json=transport_route
).json()

# Step 2: Create transport section (leg of journey)
transport_section = {
    "transport_route_id": route_response['id'],
    "origin": "Shanghai, China",
    "destination": "Rotterdam, Netherlands",
    "transport_type": "maritime",
    "electric": False,
}

section_response = requests.post(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/transport_sections",
    headers=headers,
    json=transport_section
).json()

print(f"✅ Inbound shipment created")
print(f"   Route ID: {route_response['id']}")
print(f"   Origin: {transport_section['origin']}")
print(f"   Destination: {transport_section['destination']}")
print(f"   Transport type: {transport_section['transport_type']}")
print(f"   Weight: {transport_route['quantity_transported']:,} kg")
print(f"   CO₂e: {route_response.get('co2e', 'Calculating...')} kg")

const axios = require('axios');

const headers = {
  'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.DCYCLE_API_KEY}`,
  'Content-Type': 'application/json',
  'x-organization-id': process.env.DCYCLE_ORG_ID,
  'x-user-id': process.env.DCYCLE_USER_ID
};

// Get unit IDs
const units = await axios.get(
  'https://api.dcycle.io/v1/units',
  { headers, params: { page: 1, size: 100 } }
).then(res => res.data);
const kgUnit = units.items.find(u => u.abbreviation === 'kg');

// Example: International sea freight from supplier
// Step 1: Create transport route
const transportRoute = {
  start_date: '2024-01-15',
  end_date: '2024-01-20',
  quantity_transported: 5000,
  unit_id: kgUnit.id,
  transport_direction: 'upstream',
  supplier: 'Supplier A - Shanghai',
  refrigerated: false
};

const routeResponse = await axios.post(
  'https://api.dcycle.io/v1/transport_routes',
  transportRoute,
  { headers }
).then(res => res.data);

// Step 2: Create transport section
const transportSection = {
  transport_route_id: routeResponse.id,
  origin: 'Shanghai, China',
  destination: 'Rotterdam, Netherlands',
  transport_type: 'maritime',
  electric: false
};

const sectionResponse = await axios.post(
  'https://api.dcycle.io/v1/transport_sections',
  transportSection,
  { headers }
).then(res => res.data);

console.log('✅ Inbound shipment created');
console.log(`   Route ID: ${routeResponse.id}`);
console.log(`   Transport type: ${transportSection.transport_type}`);
console.log(`   Weight: ${transportRoute.quantity_transported.toLocaleString()} kg`);

For shipments using multiple transport modes (e.g., sea + road), create multiple transport sections for a single route:

# Multi-modal: Sea freight + road delivery
# Create one transport route with multiple sections

# Step 1: Create the transport route
transport_route = {
    "start_date": "2024-01-15",
    "end_date": "2024-01-25",
    "quantity_transported": 5000,
    "unit_id": kg_unit['id'],
    "transport_direction": "upstream",
    "supplier": "Supplier A - Shanghai",
}

route_response = requests.post(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/transport_routes",
    headers=headers,
    json=transport_route
).json()

route_id = route_response['id']

# Step 2: Create transport sections for each leg
sections = [
    {
        "transport_route_id": route_id,
        "origin": "Shanghai, China",
        "destination": "Rotterdam, Netherlands",
        "transport_type": "maritime",
        "part": 1,  # First leg
    },
    {
        "transport_route_id": route_id,
        "origin": "Rotterdam, Netherlands",
        "destination": "Munich, Germany",
        "transport_type": "road",
        "travel_method": "truck",
        "part": 2,  # Second leg
    }
]

for section in sections:
    section_response = requests.post(
        "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/transport_sections",
        headers=headers,
        json=section
    ).json()
    print(f"   Part {section['part']}: {section['origin']} → {section['destination']}")
    print(f"      Transport: {section['transport_type']}")
    print(f"      Distance: {section_response.get('kms', 'Calculating...')} km")

# Get total CO₂e for the route
route = requests.get(
    f"https://api.dcycle.io/v1/transport_routes/{route_id}",
    headers=headers
).json()

print(f"\n📊 Total shipment:")
print(f"   Total CO₂e: {route['co2e']:.2f} kg")

Step 2: Bulk Upload Inbound Shipments

For high-volume operations, upload shipments via CSV:

CSV Format

origin,destination,transport_type,travel_method,kms,quantity,unit,start_date,end_date,direction,supplier,refrigerated
"Shanghai, China","Rotterdam, Netherlands",maritime,,19500,5000,kg,2024-01-15,2024-01-20,upstream,Supplier A,false
"Rotterdam, Netherlands","Munich, Germany",road,truck,,5000,kg,2024-01-20,2024-01-22,upstream,Supplier A,false
"Milan, Italy","Barcelona, Spain",road,truck,950,2500,kg,2024-02-01,2024-02-02,upstream,Supplier B,false
"Paris, France","Madrid, Spain",unknown,,,500,kg,2024-02-10,2024-02-11,upstream,Supplier C,true
"Hamburg, Germany","Valencia, Spain",maritime,,2100,8000,kg,2024-03-01,2024-03-10,upstream,Supplier D,false

CSV Notes:

kms column: Leave empty to auto-calculate distance from origin/destination
transport_type: Use unknown if vehicle type is not known (origin/destination required)
travel_method: Only needed for road transport type (truck, car, etc.)

Upload and Process

import requests
import os
import time

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {os.getenv('DCYCLE_API_KEY')}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "x-organization-id": os.getenv("DCYCLE_ORG_ID"),
    "x-user-id": os.getenv("DCYCLE_USER_ID"),
}

# Step 1: Get presigned upload URL
upload_response = requests.post(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/logistics/bulk/csv",
    headers=headers
).json()

presigned_url = upload_response['upload_url']
status_url = upload_response['status_url']

# Step 2: Upload CSV to S3
with open('inbound_shipments_q1_2024.csv', 'rb') as f:
    requests.put(presigned_url, data=f)

print("✅ CSV uploaded, processing...")

# Step 3: Poll for completion
while True:
    status = requests.get(status_url, headers=headers).json()
    
    if status['status'] == 'completed':
        print(f"\n✅ Processed {status['records_processed']} inbound shipments")
        print(f"   Total CO₂e: {status['total_co2e']:,.2f} kg")
        print(f"   Total distance: {status['total_distance_km']:,.0f} km")
        print(f"   Category: Scope 3 - Category 4 (Upstream Transport)")
        break
    elif status['status'] == 'failed':
        print(f"❌ Upload failed: {status['error']}")
        break
    elif status['status'] == 'processing':
        progress = status.get('progress_percentage', 0)
        print(f"⏳ Processing... {progress}%")
    
    time.sleep(5)

Step 3: Query Category 4 Emissions

Get Category 4 Totals

import requests
import os

headers = {
    "Authorization": f"Bearer {os.getenv('DCYCLE_API_KEY')}",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "x-organization-id": os.getenv("DCYCLE_ORG_ID"),
    "x-user-id": os.getenv("DCYCLE_USER_ID"),
}

# Query logistics emissions (Category 4)
response = requests.get(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/logistics/report",
    headers=headers,
    params={
        "start_date": "2024-01-01",
        "end_date": "2024-12-31",
        "direction": "inbound",  # Category 4 only
    }
).json()

print(f"📊 Scope 3 Category 4: Upstream Transportation (2024)")
print("=" * 60)
print(f"   Total shipments: {response['total_shipments']:,}")
print(f"   Total distance: {response['total_distance_km']:,.0f} km")
print(f"   Total weight: {response['total_weight_kg']:,.0f} kg")
print(f"   Total CO₂e: {response['total_co2e']:,.0f} kg ({response['total_co2e']/1000:.1f} tonnes)")
print()

# Breakdown by transport type
print("   By Transport Type:")
for mode in response.get('by_transport_type', []):
    print(f"     - {mode['transport_type']}: {mode['co2e']:,.0f} kg ({mode['percentage']:.1f}%)")

Analyze by Supplier

# Get emissions by supplier origin
response = requests.get(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/logistics/report",
    headers=headers,
    params={
        "start_date": "2024-01-01",
        "end_date": "2024-12-31",
        "direction": "inbound",
        "group_by": "origin_country"
    }
).json()

print("\n📊 Category 4 by Supplier Country:")
print("-" * 50)

for country in response.get('by_origin_country', []):
    print(f"   {country['country']}: {country['co2e']:,.0f} kg CO₂e")
    print(f"      Shipments: {country['shipments']}")
    print(f"      Avg distance: {country['avg_distance_km']:,.0f} km")
    print()

Compare Category 4 to Other Scope 3

# Get total Scope 3 for context
scope3_response = requests.get(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/total_impacts",
    headers=headers,
    params={
        "start_date": "2024-01-01",
        "end_date": "2024-12-31",
        "scopes": "scope_3"
    }
).json()

scope3_total = sum(i["emissions_per_day"] for i in scope3_response.get("items", []))
cat4_total = response['total_co2e']

print(f"\n📊 Category 4 Context:")
print(f"   Category 4: {cat4_total:,.0f} kg CO₂e")
print(f"   Total Scope 3: {scope3_total:,.0f} kg CO₂e")
if scope3_total > 0:
    print(f"   Category 4 as % of Scope 3: {cat4_total/scope3_total*100:.1f}%")

Best Practices

1. Ensure Complete Shipment Data

def validate_shipment_data(shipment):
    """Validate required shipment data"""
    
    required_fields = ['origin', 'destination', 'transport_type', 'quantity_transported']
    missing = [f for f in required_fields if not shipment.get(f)]
    
    if missing:
        return False, f"Missing required fields: {missing}"
    
    return True, "Valid shipment data"

# Validate before submission
is_valid, message = validate_shipment_data(shipment)
if not is_valid:
    print(f"⚠️ {message}")

2. Integrate with Procurement

Link logistics to your purchase orders for traceability:

# Create transport route linked to supplier
transport_route = {
    "start_date": "2024-03-01",
    "end_date": "2024-03-03",
    "quantity_transported": 8000,
    "unit_id": kg_unit['id'],
    "transport_direction": "upstream",
    "supplier": "Supplier B - Germany",  # Supplier reference
    "name": "PO-2024-00456",  # Purchase order reference
}

# Create transport section with location details
transport_section = {
    "transport_route_id": route_id,
    "origin": "Supplier warehouse, Germany",
    "destination": "Your facility, Spain",
    "transport_type": "road",
    "travel_method": "truck",
}

3. Set Reduction Targets

# Track Category 4 intensity over time
def calculate_transport_intensity(year):
    """Calculate kg CO₂e per kg of goods received"""
    
    logistics = requests.get(
        "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/logistics/report",
        headers=headers,
        params={
            "start_date": f"{year}-01-01",
            "end_date": f"{year}-12-31",
            "direction": "inbound"
        }
    ).json()
    
    if logistics['total_weight_kg'] > 0:
        intensity = logistics['total_co2e'] / logistics['total_weight_kg']
        return intensity
    return 0

# Compare years
for year in [2022, 2023, 2024]:
    intensity = calculate_transport_intensity(year)
    print(f"{year}: {intensity:.3f} kg CO₂e/kg cargo")

Reduction Strategies for Category 4

Consolidate shipments: Fewer, fuller trucks = lower emissions per kg
Near-shoring: Source from closer suppliers
Modal shift: Sea/rail instead of air/road where possible
Supplier engagement: Work with logistics providers on efficiency
Route optimization: Encourage direct routes, avoid transshipment

Troubleshooting

Issue: Missing Origin/Destination Data

# Fallback: Use supplier country + your facility
if not shipment.get('origin'):
    # Get supplier country from supplier record
    supplier = requests.get(
        f"https://api.dcycle.io/v1/suppliers/{supplier_id}",
        headers=headers
    ).json()
    
    shipment['origin'] = f"{supplier['city']}, {supplier['country']}"
    print(f"⚠️  Using supplier address: {shipment['origin']}")

# Or use manual distance if geocoding fails
shipment['manual_distance_km'] = 500  # Estimated distance

Issue: Unknown Transport Mode

# Suggest transport type based on context
def suggest_transport_type(origin_country, destination_country):
    """Suggest appropriate transport type based on route"""
    
    # International routes
    if origin_country != destination_country:
        # Check if likely sea routes (intercontinental)
        sea_countries = ['CN', 'JP', 'KR', 'US', 'BR', 'AU', 'IN']
        if origin_country in sea_countries or destination_country in sea_countries:
            return 'maritime'
        else:
            return 'road'  # European road freight
    
    # Domestic routes
    else:
        return 'road'

transport_type = suggest_transport_type('CN', 'ES')
print(f"Suggested transport type: {transport_type}")

# For road transport, also suggest travel method based on weight
def suggest_travel_method(weight_kg):
    """Suggest travel method for road transport"""
    if weight_kg > 3500:
        return 'truck'
    else:
        return 'car'

Issue: Category 4 Seems Too High/Low

# Benchmark Category 4 as % of purchased goods
cat1_response = requests.get(
    "https://api.dcycle.io/v1/total_impacts",
    headers=headers,
    params={
        "start_date": "2024-01-01",
        "end_date": "2024-12-31",
        "categories": "purchases"  # Category 1
    }
).json()

cat1_total = sum(i["emissions_per_day"] for i in cat1_response.get("items", []))

# Category 4 typically 5-15% of Category 1
expected_range = (0.05, 0.15)
actual_ratio = cat4_total / cat1_total if cat1_total > 0 else 0

if actual_ratio < expected_range[0]:
    print(f"⚠️  Category 4 ({actual_ratio:.1%}) below typical range")
    print("   Possible causes:")
    print("   - Missing shipment data")
    print("   - Local sourcing (short distances)")
    
elif actual_ratio > expected_range[1]:
    print(f"⚠️  Category 4 ({actual_ratio:.1%}) above typical range")
    print("   Possible causes:")
    print("   - Long-distance/international sourcing")
    print("   - High proportion of air freight")
    print("   - Duplicate entries")

Next Steps

Logistics Tutorial

Complete logistics API documentation

Category 9: Downstream Transport

Track outbound transportation to customers

Category 1: Purchased Goods

Link purchases to transport emissions

Scope 3 Overview

Back to all Scope 3 categories

Calculate Emissions

ISO 14064

GHG Protocol

GLEC v3.0 Framework

Use Case Tutorials

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Own Workforce (Social Data)

ISO 14001 Management Systems

Advanced

Automation & AI

S3. Category 4: Upstream Transportation and Distribution

Understanding Scope 3 Category 4

Prerequisites

Data Map: Category 4 Requirements Overview

Calculation Methods

Method 1: Distance-Based (Recommended)

Step 1: Calculate Shipment Emissions

Step 2: Bulk Upload Inbound Shipments

CSV Format

Upload and Process

Step 3: Query Category 4 Emissions

Get Category 4 Totals

Analyze by Supplier

Compare Category 4 to Other Scope 3

Best Practices

1. Ensure Complete Shipment Data

2. Integrate with Procurement

3. Set Reduction Targets

Troubleshooting

Issue: Missing Origin/Destination Data

Issue: Unknown Transport Mode

Issue: Category 4 Seems Too High/Low

Next Steps

Logistics Tutorial

Category 9: Downstream Transport

Category 1: Purchased Goods

Scope 3 Overview

​Understanding Scope 3 Category 4

​Prerequisites

​Data Map: Category 4 Requirements Overview

​Calculation Methods

​Method 1: Distance-Based (Recommended)

​Step 1: Calculate Shipment Emissions

​Multi-Modal Shipments

​Step 2: Bulk Upload Inbound Shipments

​CSV Format

​Upload and Process

​Step 3: Query Category 4 Emissions

​Get Category 4 Totals

​Analyze by Supplier

​Compare Category 4 to Other Scope 3

​Best Practices

​1. Ensure Complete Shipment Data

​2. Integrate with Procurement

​3. Set Reduction Targets

​Troubleshooting

​Issue: Missing Origin/Destination Data

​Issue: Unknown Transport Mode

​Issue: Category 4 Seems Too High/Low

​Next Steps

Logistics Tutorial

Category 9: Downstream Transport

Category 1: Purchased Goods

Scope 3 Overview

Understanding Scope 3 Category 4

Prerequisites

Data Map: Category 4 Requirements Overview

Calculation Methods

Method 1: Distance-Based (Recommended)

Step 1: Calculate Shipment Emissions

Multi-Modal Shipments

Step 2: Bulk Upload Inbound Shipments

CSV Format

Upload and Process

Step 3: Query Category 4 Emissions

Get Category 4 Totals

Analyze by Supplier

Compare Category 4 to Other Scope 3

Best Practices

1. Ensure Complete Shipment Data

2. Integrate with Procurement

3. Set Reduction Targets

Troubleshooting

Issue: Missing Origin/Destination Data

Issue: Unknown Transport Mode

Issue: Category 4 Seems Too High/Low

Next Steps