Scope 1, 2 and 3

Scope 1, 2 and 3 is how the GHG Protocol groups emissions: direct emissions, emissions from purchased energy and all other emissions in the value chain.

Scope 1, 2 and 3 is the way the GHG Protocol categorises greenhouse gas emissions. It is the backbone of any carbon accounts, because it makes accounts comparable and prevents double counting.

Scope 1: Direct emissions

Emissions from sources the organisation owns or controls, such as burning natural gas or oil in its own boilers, fuel used in company vehicles and process emissions from production.

Scope 2: Purchased energy

Emissions from energy the organisation buys but that is generated elsewhere: electricity, district heating, district cooling and steam. The GHG Protocol requires electricity to be reported both location-based (average grid mix) and market-based (based on contracts and guarantees of origin).

Scope 3: The value chain

All other indirect emissions before and after the organisation’s own activities, such as purchased goods, transport, waste, employee commuting, business travel and use of sold products. Scope 3 often makes up 80 to 99% of total emissions, but it is also the hardest to measure accurately.

Scope depends on perspective

The same activity can sit in different scopes depending on who is reporting. Power generation is scope 1 for the utility, but scope 2 for the customer.

Scope 1 is what you emit yourself
Scope 2 is the energy you buy
Scope 3 is everything that happens in the value chain around you

How Enity EMS handles scopes

Enity EMS links consumption data to the right scopes and emission factors, so you can track scope 1, 2 and relevant scope 3 categories on the same data foundation, with both location-based and market-based figures.

Related terms

See it in action

Want to see your scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in one place? Book a demo and we will show you how it works with your own data.