Scope 1, 2, and 3 Carbon Emissions
An important first step in the right direction toward protecting our environment is the declaration of a climate emergency, which acknowledges both the existence of global warming and the inadequacy of current mitigation measures to stop the damage it has caused. Global leaders must recognise the emergency that the climate crisis represents and set priorities to lessen the adverse consequences of climate change in order to rescue the planet.
Understanding greenhouse gas emissions and how to categorise them is the first step in developing and putting ownership and mitigation policies into practise.
Lets first understand what is Greenhouse Gas (GHG)?
The term “greenhouse gases” refers to gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, and they include as major contributors:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a gas that is released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, and oil are burned. It is also released when solid waste, trees, and other biological materials are burned
- Methane (CH4) is released during the extraction, processing, and transportation of coal, natural gas, oil, and during the use of land, raising of livestock, and other agricultural activities
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) is released during the burning of solid waste, fossil fuels, and when wastewater is being treated. It is also released during industrial, agricultural, and land-use activities.
- Fluorinated gases are synthetic, potent greenhouse gases that are released from a variety of domestic, commercial, and industrial applications and processes. These gases include: hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, and nitrogen trifluoride.
How are emissions classified?
Emissions are classified into three categories. Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3. Let’s look deeper into each scope.
Scope 1: direct emissions
Direct emissions from operations and the resources that support them are referred to as scope 1 emissions. For instance, emissions from a building’s gas-fired heating boiler fall under Scope 1.
Scope 2: indirect emissions — owned
Indirect emissions are those from a utility provider that fall under scope 2. It includes all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the use of purchased electricity, steam, heat, and cooling that are released into the atmosphere. For instance, if the workplace purchases cooling water from “Deep Lake Systems,” the emissions generated by the supplier to provide the cooling water will fall under Scope 2.
Scope 3: indirect emissions
All indirect emissions that are related to the operations of the company, such as out-of-boundary transportation by employees or visitors and out-of-boundary waste and wastewater, are included in scope 3. These emissions are not included in scope 2.
How to reduce GHG Emissions
The most effective way to reduce CO2 emissions which is a major contributor to GHG is to reduce fossil fuel consumption and switch to clean electrification.
Reduction Strategies:
- Energy Efficiency: Examples include using HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) equipment that uses less energy and insulating buildings better.
- Energy conservation involves lowering energy consumption through practices like sharing rides, cutting back on water use, and turning off lights and equipment when not in use.
- Fuel Switching: Utilizing fuels with lower carbon contents while producing more energy from renewable sources, such as renewable natural gas (RNg).
- Carbon capture is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere before it can be transported and stored for centuries or millennia.
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Green Globe strives to provide engineering solutions to our valued customers while minimizing our eco/carbon footprint. Every step we take is taken with a green globe in mind. Let’s keep learning and working to limit emissions of all kinds and save the earth!
