A guide to understanding greenhouse gas emissions, GHG scopes and categories, targets and ambition options, and reduction initiatives.
The information requested is related to your organization's greenhouse gas emissions. Here's a detailed guide to help you understand the terminology and what's being asked:
Understanding Emissions: Scope and Category
Greenhouse gas emissions are categorized into three different scopes, and each scope is further broken down into specific categories:
Scope 1: Direct Emissions
These are emissions from sources directly owned or controlled by your organization.
- Stationary Combustion: Emissions from fixed equipment like boilers, furnaces, etc.
- Mobile Combustion: Emissions from transportation devices such as company vehicles.
- Process Emissions: Emissions from physical or chemical processes like manufacturing.
- Fugitive Emissions: Unintentional emissions from leaks, equipment malfunctions, etc.
Scope 2: Indirect Emissions from Energy Purchases
These are emissions from the generation of purchased energy consumed by your organization.
- Purchased Electricity: Emissions from the generation of purchased electricity.
- Purchased Heat: Emissions from the generation of purchased heat.
- Purchased Steam: Emissions from the generation of purchased steam.
- Purchased Cooling: Emissions from the generation of purchased cooling.
Scope 3: Other Indirect Emissions
These are emissions in the value chain of the organization but not directly controlled. We only need you to share your upstream Scope 3 categories, which are the following:
- 3.1 Purchased Goods and Services: Emissions from the production of goods and services procured.
- 3.2 Capital Goods: Emissions related to the production of long-term assets.
- 3.3 Fuel- and Energy-Related Activities: Emissions other than those in Scopes 1 and 2.
- 3.4 Upstream Transportation and Distribution: Emissions from the transportation of purchased goods.
- 3.5 Waste Generated in Operations: Emissions from waste disposal and treatment.
- 3.6 Business Travel: Emissions from travel required for business.
- 3.7 Employee Commuting: Emissions from employees commuting to and from work.
- 3.8 Upstream Leased Assets: Emissions from leased assets not directly controlled by the organization.
Targets
Targets refer to the goals your company has set for reducing emissions. This can include:
- Short-term Targets: Goals for the next 1-5 years.
- Long-term Targets: Goals that extend beyond 5 years.
- Intensity Targets: These are reductions relative to a specific metric, such as per unit of production or revenue.
Ambition Options
- Net Zero: A commitment to balance the amount of emitted greenhouse gases with an equivalent amount of emissions removed or reduced, resulting in no net emissions.
- 1.5°C: Aligning emissions reduction targets with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as advocated by the Paris Agreement.
- Well below 2°C: A commitment to reduce emissions in line with keeping global warming well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, but not as aggressive as the 1.5°C target.
Examples
- A Science-Based Target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% and Scope 3 emissions by 20% by 2030 from a 2020 baseline, aligned with the 1.5°C pathway.
- A Net Zero by 2040 target.
Reduction Initiatives
These are specific strategies or projects that your company is employing to meet the emissions reduction targets. Examples might include:
- Energy Efficiency: Implementing technology or practices to consume less energy.
- Renewable Energy: Investing in or purchasing renewable energy.
- Waste Reduction: Strategies to minimize waste, including recycling and composting.
- Behavioral Changes: Employee training and incentives to reduce emissions through daily activities.
Reductions initiatives go through different stages, such as Investigating, Planning, In progress, and Implemented.
What to Upload?
You will need to provide documents that detail:
- Emissions data: Broken down by scope (1, 2, 3) and GHG categories.
- Targets: Your company's specific short-term and long-term emissions reduction goals.
- Reduction Initiatives: A description or evidence of the strategies, projects, or programs your organization is using to achieve these targets.