Greenhouse gas scopes
GHG tracking complies with the IPCC requirements to track the emissions from six internationally-recognized types of greenhouse gases relating to human activity: carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6).
Emissions are reported in metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MT CO2 Eq) as the universal reporting standard but customized conversions may also be applied if users want to use other reporting units.
GHG Protocol standards identify operational boundaries for corporations and institutions to "scope" their sources of emissions to provide accountability for the prevention of double counting or conversely, double credits.
Any emissions should be categorized by the particular scope under which they fall. This way, emissions can be reported to government agencies or tracked from several different viewpoints.
GHG tracking lets you track all three scopes GHG emissions. Within each of the scope types the user can select the appropriate scope such as direct-mobile, direct-stationary, indirect-purchased electricity, indirect-purchased steam, etc.
Each of the scope types entails different calculation methods.
Scope 1
Includes all direct sources of GHG emissions from sources owned or controlled by your organization.
| Category | Description |
| Fugitive | Direct emissions from refrigeration and air conditioning result from leakage and service over the operational life of the equipment. The leakage of refrigerant gas is small but significant source of GHG emissions because of high GWP associated with GHG's. |
| Mobile | Direct emissions from owned or lease mobile sources (both on-road and non-road vehicles) that are within the company's inventory boundaries. |
| Stationary Combustion | Direct emissions typically from devices that combust solid, liquid, or gaseous fuel, generally for the purposes of producing electricity, generating steam or heat. |
Scope 2
Account for indirect sources of GHG emissions from the generation of purchased utilities consumed by your organization. A purchased utility is defined as one that is bought or otherwise brought into the organizational boundary.
| Category | Description |
| Purchased cooling | Indirect emissions from purchased or acquired cooling |
| Purchased electricity | Indirect emissions from purchased or acquired electricity |
| Purchased heating | Indirect emissions from purchased or acquired heat |
| Purchased steam | Indirect emissions from purchased or acquired steam |
Scope 3
| Category | Description |
| 1. Purchased goods and services | Extraction, production, and transportation of goods and services purchased or acquired by your organization in the reporting year, not otherwise included in Categories 2 - 8 |
| 2. Capital goods | Extraction, production, and transportation of capital goods purchased or acquired by the reporting company in the reporting year |
| 3. Fuel and energy related activities |
Extraction, production, and transportation of fuels and energy purchased or acquired by the reporting company in the reporting year, not already accounted for in scope 1 or scope 2, including: a. Upstream emissions of purchased fuels (extraction, production, and transportation of fuels consumed by the reporting company) b. Upstream emissions of purchased electricity (extraction, production, and transportation of fuels consumed in the generation of electricity, steam, heating, and cooling consumed by the reporting company) c. Transmission and distribution (T&D) losses (generation of electricity, steam, heating and cooling that is consumed (i.e., lost) in a T&D system) – reported by end user d. Generation of purchased electricity that is sold to end users (generation of electricity, steam, heating, and cooling that is purchased by the reporting company and sold to end users) – reported by utility company or energy retailer only |
| 4. Upstream transportation and distribution |
Transportation and distribution of products purchased by the reporting company in the reporting year between a company’s tier 1 suppliers and its own operations (in vehicles and facilities not owned or controlled by the reporting company)
Transportation and distribution services purchased by the reporting company in the reporting year, including inbound logistics, outbound logistics (e.g., of sold products), and transportation and distribution between a company’s own facilities (in vehicles and facilities not owned or controlled by the reporting company) |
| 5. Waste generated in operations | Disposal and treatment of waste generated in the reporting company’s operations in the reporting year (in facilities not owned or controlled by the reporting company) |
| 6. Business travel | Transportation of employees for business-related activities during the reporting year (in vehicles not owned or operated by the reporting company) |
| 7. Employee commuting | Transportation of employees between their homes and their worksites during the reporting year (in vehicles not owned or operated by the reporting company) |
| 8. Upstream leased assets | Operation of assets leased by the reporting company (lessee) in the reporting year and not included in scope 1 or scope 2 - reported by the lessee |
| 9. Downstream transportation and distribution | Transportation and distribution of products sold by the reporting company in the reporting year between the reporting company’s operations and the end consumer (if not paid for by the reporting company), including retail and storage (in vehicles and facilities not owned or controlled by the reporting company) |
| 10. Processing of sold products | Processing of intermediate products sold in the reporting year by downstream companies (e.g., manufacturers) |
| 11. Use of sold products | End use of goods and services sold by the reporting company in the reporting year |
| 12. End-of-life treatment of sold products | Waste disposal and treatment of products sold by the reporting company (in the reporting year) at the end of their life |
| 13. Downstream leased assets | Operation of assets owned by the reporting company (lessor) and leased to other entities in the reporting year, not included in scope 1 and scope 2 – reported by lessor |
| 14. Franchises | Operation of franchises in the reporting year, not included in scope 1 and scope 2 – reported by franchiser |
| 15. Investments | Operation of investments (including equity and debt investments and project finance) in the reporting year, not included in scope 1 or scope 2 |