Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions are types of greenhouse gas emissions that a company can be held responsible for.
CO2 footprint, on the other hand, is a specific measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by an organization, product, or activity. While related, the two concepts are not the same.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions are defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, a widely used framework for measuring and reporting greenhouse gas emissions.
Scope 1 emissions refer to direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting company, such as on-site fuel combustion or process emissions.
Scope 2 emissions refer to indirect emissions that result from the consumption of purchased electricity, heat, or steam.
Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions not included in Scope 2 that result from the company’s value chain, including its suppliers, customers, and product use.
CO2 footprint, on the other hand, is a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions associated with a particular activity or product, often expressed in metric tons of CO2.
For example, a company might calculate the CO2 footprint of its operations or of a specific product it produces. This can be a useful tool for understanding and managing the environmental impact of an organization’s activities.
Sources:
- Greenhouse Gas Protocol – Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard: https://ghgprotocol.org/standards/corporate-standard
- Carbon Trust – Scope 1, 2 and 3 Emissions: https://www.carbontrust.com/resources/scope-1-2-and-3-emissions
- Climatecare – CO2 Footprint: https://climatecare.org/what-we-do/carbon-footprinting/co2-footprint/
