Scope For Improvement

Accounting for about 75 per cent of the industrial carbon footprint, focus on scope 3 emissions by organisations may help the country achieve its net zero target

- Nidhi Singal

THE CLIMATE CRISIS is real. Countries, cities and companies have commenced work towards abating greenhouse gases (GHG), yet the past eight years (2015 to 2022) are on track to be the eight warmest on record, fuelled by ever-rising greenhouse gas concentrations and accumulated heat (per the WMO Provisional State of the Global Climate in 2022 report).

This has resulted in extreme heat waves, drought and devastating floods, affecting millions and costing billions this year.

Companies have been adhering to the protocols for effectively measuring their GHG emissions, but that's mostly restricted to Scope 1 (direct emissions) and Scope 2 (emissions from direct purchases of energy). The indirect emissions, which occur in activities outside the boundary of an organisation such as vendors, suppliers, etc., which are external entities but are inextricably part of its value chain-are classified under Scope 3. Tellingly, Scope 3 emissions account for about 75 per cent of the total industrial carbon footprint, and are often neglected.