Understanding Emission Scopes
Effective strategies to tackle these emissions are essential for sustainable urban development and climate resilience.
Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that occur from sources that are owned or controlled by the city. This includes the operation of municipal buildings, transportation fleets, and other facilities. These emissions are directly produced by activities within the city’s boundary, such as heating city-owned buildings, operating municipal vehicles, and other infrastructural utilities.
Managing these emissions often requires upgrades to energy efficiency and a shift towards cleaner, renewable energy sources in municipal operations.
Scope 2 covers indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, heat, or steam that the city consumes. While these emissions occur at facilities that are not owned or directly controlled by the city, they result from energy used within the city’s boundary.
Urban strategies focusing on Scope 2 typically involve increasing the procurement of renewable energy, improving building energy efficiency, and incentivizing energy conservation among residents and businesses.
Scope 3 encompasses all other indirect emissions that occur as a consequence of the city’s activities but are not covered by Scope 1 or Scope 2. This includes emissions associated with the production of goods and services that the city consumes, waste management, and transportation services that extend beyond the city’s boundaries.
Tackling Scope 3 emissions requires a comprehensive approach that includes sustainable procurement policies, waste reduction strategies, and collaboration with suppliers and partners to reduce upstream and downstream emissions.
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