Greenhouse Gas Emission Scope
Greenhouse Gas Emission Scope refers to the categorization of emissions from various activities related to an organization's operations. These scopes help in systematically quantifying and managing the emissions to mitigate the impact on climate change. The term is defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which classifies emissions into three distinct categories:
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Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources. These include emissions from combustion in owned or controlled boilers, furnaces, vehicles, and industrial processes. Essentially, if the emissions happen on-site or directly within the facilities that your organization owns or controls, they fall under this scope.
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Scope 2: Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating, and cooling consumed by the reporting company. Even though these emissions occur at the facility where electricity or steam is generated, it is accounted for in an organization's Scope 2 as they are a result of the organization's energy consumption.
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Scope 3: All other indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, covering everything from the supply chain to end-use of the products and services. This scope can include business travel, procurement, waste, and transportation of goods not owned by the company, among others. It often represents the largest portion of an organization's total greenhouse gas emissions and is crucial for comprehensive sustainability strategies.
Understanding and managing Greenhouse Gas Emission Scope is essential for any organization committed to reducing its carbon footprint and contributing to global climate goals.