Scope in terms of carbon emissions.
Scope in terms of carbon emissions refers to the classification of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). It is unclear where the terms originated but it is likely that it was defined in detail first by the The Green House Gas Protocol (GHGP).
The Green House Gas Protocol was formed through a partnership between the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the GHG Protocol created accounting standards, tools, and training to help businesses to measure and manage climate-warming emissions.
The Green House Gas Protocol Corporate Standard classifies GHG emissions into three ‘scopes’.
- Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
- Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.
- Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in scope 2) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emission
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