Azure Management and governance built-in role

Carbon Optimization Reader

Reads Azure Carbon optimization emissions and related resource data for the assigned Azure scope. It is control-plane read access with no DataActions and does not change resources or cost configuration.

Control-plane actions (2)

• Microsoft.Carbon/carbonEmissionReports/action
• Microsoft.Carbon/carbonEmissionReports/read

Data-plane actions (0)

None — this role grants no data-plane (data access) actions.

Excluded actions (0)

None

Assignable scopes (1)

• /

Practical scope

Azure RBAC assignments apply at the selected scope and are inherited by child scopes. Keep the assignment at the narrowest resource, resource group, subscription, or management-group boundary that contains the intended resources. Assign at the management group, subscription, or resource group whose carbon data the principal is authorized to analyze; broader scope aggregates more inherited subscriptions and resources.

Common use cases (2)

• Analyze emissions trends and identify carbon-reduction opportunities for an Azure estate.
• Export or report Carbon optimization data for sustainability and FinOps stakeholders.

Prerequisites (2)

• The principal must have access at a supported Azure scope containing resources with Carbon optimization data.
• Allow time for eligible usage and emissions data to become available in the service.

Best practices (2)

• Assign to a sustainability or FinOps group at the smallest scope that matches its reporting responsibility.
• Treat recommendations as analysis inputs and obtain separate resource-management approval before changing workloads.

Security considerations (2)

• Carbon data can reveal resource inventory, usage patterns, regions, and organizational operating trends.
• The role has no write permissions or DataActions and cannot implement optimization changes.

Assignment guidance

Assign to sustainability, finance, or operations analysts at the reporting scope. Grant resource contributor access separately only to identities responsible for approved remediation.

Editorial sources (5)

• Azure built-in roles for Management and governance →

  Supports: Description, Practical scope, Security considerations. Retrieved 2026-07-16.

• Steps to assign an Azure role →

  Supports: Prerequisites, Assignment guidance. Retrieved 2026-07-16.

• Understand scope for Azure RBAC →

  Supports: Practical scope, Assignment guidance. Retrieved 2026-07-16.

• Best practices for Azure RBAC →

  Supports: Best practices, Assignment guidance. Retrieved 2026-07-16.

• Assign access to Carbon optimization in Azure →

  Supports: Description, Practical scope, Common use cases, Prerequisites, Best practices, Security considerations, Assignment guidance. Retrieved 2026-07-16.

Official Microsoft Learn documentation →