What are Scope 1, 2 & 3 Emissions
Carbon reduction strategies are full of jargon and you’d be forgiven for getting a little overwhelmed. Here’s a guide to scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions to help you find your way.
Firstly, why do we talk about emissions in categories?
Mainly because it helps carbon boffins like us work out what percentage of your carbon footprint you have direct control over. This helps us work on a carbon reduction strategy by prioritising the areas where we can have the biggest impact.
Scope 1 carbon emissions
These are the emissions generated by company owned and controlled resources. In simple terms, this is the fuel used in your car, factory, office heating, etc.
Company owned factory emissions fall into scope 1.
Scope 2 carbon emissions
These are the emissions that come from the electricity your company purchases. Yep, scope 2 really is that simple.
Scope 1 & 2 - you’re in control
Your company has complete control over your scope 1 & 2 emissions. If you had unlimited funds, your business could reduce your scope 1 & 2 emissions to zero almost overnight. You could switch to electric vehicles, move to a clean electricity supplier and decarbonise your factory. You are in the driving seat.
Scope 3 carbon emissions
This is where things get trickier. Scope 3 emissions are those that are mostly out of your direct control but which you do have influence over. Another way to think about them is that these emissions simply wouldn’t exist if your business didn’t operate. They relate to the creation of your products and / or services.
Sometimes certain items in your scope 3 emissions may feel more like your suppliers’ carbon footprint rather than yours. But it is included in your scope 3 emissions, as a buyer of your suppliers’ products you influence it.
Scope 1, 2 and 3 emission examples
A holiday company selling adventure packages to Italy
Scope 1 emissions would be minimal since the company only owns 2 petrol powered company cars. The company office is also heated by oil, so this is included here too.
Scope 2 emissions would be small too, since the company only has one office on a regular electricity tariff.
Scope 3 emissions would form the majority of their emissions. These come from any business travel and the commutes of employees involved in creating the trip, customer travel to your adventure and any food, accommodation, travel and activities during the trip.
An adventure tour with a carbon label.
A company that makes and sells jewellery
Scope 1 emissions are small since the jewellery is hand manufactured but there would likely be some gas used to weld the jewellery.
Scope 2 emissions are non-existent, as their workshop is powered by a renewable energy company and they only sell their products online.
Scope 3 emissions would include the mining of the precious metal/jewels, the transport of the materials, their website and the packaging to name a few.
Jewellery by Alex Monroe with a carbon label that includes emissions across all scopes.
What next?
Now you know about scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, perhaps you have some thoughts about how you could set about reducing them. As always, if you need a helping hand, get in touch.
