When doing carbon accounting, it is incredibly important to understand the differences between scope 1, scope 2 and scope 3 emissions. This blog post will help you understand what scope 1 emissions are. You can check out our blog to learn more about scope 2 and scope 3 emissions, as well as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol in general.
What are Scope 1 Emissions?
Measuring Scope 1 emissions involves tracking all direct greenhouse gas emissions that a company produces from sources it owns or controls. To accurately measure these emissions, companies need to monitor fuel consumption and other activities that generate greenhouse gases, and convert this data into CO2 equivalent using established emission factors. Regular measurement of Scope 1 emissions is essential for identifying reduction opportunities and managing a company’s overall carbon footprint.
4 Categories of Scope 1 Emissions
– stationary combustion, which are fuels and heating sources;
– mobile combustion, or in other words all company vehicles that burn fuel;
– fugitive emissions, which come from refrigeration and air conditioning units; and
– process emissions that are released during industrial processes and on-site manufacturing.
Is Measuring Scope 1 Emissions Enough?
Most companies report scope 1 emissions because they are easily traceable and measurable.
The problem is that for some companies scope 1 emissions represent <1% of total generated emissions (for example, Apple), and so it may initially seem like the company is not polluting, only to later realise that most of their emissions belong to scope 3 emissions (which is the hardest category to track and quantify).
This gap, therefore, represents huge areas where a company might take actionable steps to reduce its impact. If you are not tracking that impact, you cannot see ways to improve, after all.
How Can You Increase Carbon Emissions Measurement Coverage?
At Connect Earth we provide in-depth insights into scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data of companies and products through our simple carbon footprint API solution. Our API solution gives consumers detailed insights about the impact of all their purchases, allowing them to make more sustainable choices. Find out more about the power of carbon emissions data, here.
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About Connect Earth:
Founded in 2021, Connect Earth is a London-based environmental data company that democratises easy access to sustainability data. With its carbon tracking API technology, Connect Earth is on a mission to empower consumers and SMEs to make sustainable choices and bridge the gap between intent, knowledge and action. Connect Earth supports financial institutions in offering their customers transparent insight into the climate impact of their spending.
Reach out if you think Connect Earth can help your business.
