What is Scope 1 Emissions?
Direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources owned or controlled by an organisation. Examples include emissions from company vehicles, on-site fuel combustion in boilers and furnaces, and refrigerant leaks from air conditioning systems.
Why it matters
Scope 1 emissions are the ones a business has the most direct control over. Reducing them through fleet electrification, boiler upgrades, or refrigerant management often delivers both cost savings and quick carbon wins. They are also mandatory under SECR for qualifying companies.
Example
A plumbing company with 12 diesel vans calculates Scope 1 emissions of 85 tCO₂e per year from fuel use. Transitioning four vans to electric reduces this by 28 tCO₂e annually.
Related terms
Scope 2 Emissions
Indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the generation of purchased energy consumed by an organisation. This includes electricity, steam, heating, and cooling purchased from utility providers. Scope 2 can be calculated using location-based or market-based methods.
Scope 3 Emissions
All other indirect emissions occurring in an organisation's value chain, both upstream and downstream. Scope 3 typically represents 70-90% of a company's total carbon footprint and includes emissions from suppliers, business travel, employee commuting, and product use.
Put your knowledge into practice
Start measuring your carbon footprint with EcoHedge. Connect your accounting software and get your first carbon report in hours.