Scope 1 emissions
Direct emissions from sources owned or controlled by a reporting organisation.
Example
Fuel burned in an owned boiler can fall within Scope 1.
The catch
The organisational boundary determines which sources are included.
Related terms
Reporting, Absolute emissions, Activity data, Base year, Carbon dioxide equivalent, Carbon footprint
In more depth
Scope 1 emissions, explained.
Scope 1 emissions are the part of a footprint an organisation can cut most directly, because the equipment and processes are its own. The GHG Protocol groups them by source type. Fuel burned on site or in owned vehicles is the familiar part. Process emissions from chemical reactions, such as cement making, and fugitive emissions from leaking refrigerants or gas are easier to overlook.
The consolidation approach matters. Under operational control, a company reports everything at sites it runs, while the equity share approach divides emissions by ownership stake. The same joint venture can therefore sit in one company's Scope 1 and in another's Scope 3 emissions. CO₂ from burning biomass is reported separately, outside the scopes. Switching from gas to wood pellets moves emissions off the Scope 1 line as a result, and the biogenic figure should still be disclosed.
Methane often makes up most of Scope 1 for landfill operators and livestock farms. In many service businesses Scope 1 is the smallest slice, behind purchased electricity and the value chain. Report it by gas as well as in total, with the boundary approach stated, so readers can see which emissions the company directly controls.