Understanding Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions
Posted by admin on Nov. 29, 2024 / Emissions & Fuel Economy / Subscribe 0
Resarched and compiled by LCF Intern: Eowyn Dautrich
Introduction to Scope 1, 3, and 3 Emissions
On the path to net-zero emissions, companies and organizations track their total emissions across three categories: scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3. These categories help assess the types of emissions produced at various stages of a company’s operations, with each scope representing a different level of the emissions generated.
The Scopes Defined:
Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources owned or controlled by a company or organization. For example, this includes a company's fleet vehicles that run on fuel, as they generate emissions through combustion (National Grid, n.d.)
Scope 2 emissions are indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from purchasing energy, such as electricity, steam, heat, or cooling. Although these emissions occur at the facility where the energy is produced, they are included in a company’s GHG inventory because they stem from the company's energy consumption. For example, emissions from the electricity used to power a building are generated at an energy facility but are accounted for in the company’s usage (National Grid, n.d.).
Scope 3 emissions are indirect emissions that arise from activities outside a company’s direct control but within its value chain, including both upstream and downstream processes. These emissions encompass all sources not covered by Scope 1 and 2, often representing the largest portion of an organization's total GHG emissions. In other words, Scope 3 emissions for one organization are equivalent to the Scope 1 and 2 emissions of another (National Grid, n.d.).
Figure 1: Carbon emissions are broken down into three scopes. Source: National Grid, n.d.
The Scopes of Emissions and Transportation:
In the transportation sector, the three emissions scopes are crucial for understanding the emissions breakdown. Scope 1 includes the emissions a vehicle produces while being operated unless it is an electric vehicle (EV), which has zero tailpipe emissions. If the vehicle is charged electrically, those emissions fall under Scope 2. Scope 3 emissions are generated during the manufacturing process of the vehicle.
The transportation sector in the U.S. is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, surpassing all other sectors of the economy. In 2019, it was responsible for approximately 33% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, not including transportation-related emissions like those from building infrastructure, which falls under Scope 3 (US Department of Transportation, n.d.). In Louisiana, transportation is responsible for a smaller share of the state's GHG emissions at 19%. (Louisiana's Climate Action Plan)
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is determined to ensure a 50-52% reduction in U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 2023 and a zero-net economy by 2050 by primarily focusing on reducing emissions from the country’s transportation systems by following the updated Climate Action Plan (US Department of Transportation, n.d.).
Programs outlined in the Climate Action Plan, such as the DOT Grant and Loan Programs, the Project Planning and Development Process, DOT Facilities and Operational Assets, Climate-Ready Services and Supplies, and Climate Education and Research, are key initiatives in building the framework toward a low-carbon transportation sector and, ultimately, a sustainable economy.
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