Sustainability :

Understanding Emissions

Understanding Emissions Scope

"Greenhouse gas emissions are classified into three categories, or scopes, to help them create effective reduction plans. Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions are greenhouse gases that are released across an organization’s entire value chain."

-McKinsey & Company

Understanding emission scopes (1, 2, and 3) is crucial for organizations to accurately assess their environmental impact and develop effective GHG emissions reduction strategies.

What are Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions?

McKinsey estimates that Scope 3 emissions typically represent around 90 percent of a company’s total emissions. To achieve their emissions reduction targets, a wide variety of organizations have made Scope 3 emissions a higher priority on their agendas.

Learn more about scope emissions and how to reduce them here.

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol

According to the official GHG Protocol website, "Greenhouse Gas Protocol provides standards, guidance, tools and training for business and government to measure and manage climate-warming emissions."

Watch this video by the World Resources Institute (WRI) to learn more.

This image shows the overview of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) Protocol scopes and emissions across the value chain.

Learn more about Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 Inventory Guidance in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official website

Source: WRI/WBCSD Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard (pdf) (5.9 MB), page 5.

Image credits: EPA Official Website

Greenhouse Gas Inventory

A greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory is a list of emission sources and the associated emissions quantified.

See the infographic on the left to learn more about the Greenhouse Gas Inventory Development process.

GHG Reduction: Washtenaw County & Scio Township

Washtenaw County GHG Inventory

According to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), in 2019, Washtenaw County emitted around 6,105,738.5 metric tons (MT) of carbon dioxide (CO2e). That’s similar to the pollution from driving over 1 billion miles in a typical car.

As part of Washtenaw County, Scio Township will rely on the County to track total GHG Emissions.

Source: SEMCOG, Local Gas Emissions Inventory Summary

Washtenaw County:

2019 Greenhouse Gas Emissions

According to this table, the highest category of CO2e emissions in Washtenaw County is Transportation (37,31%), followed by Industrial Energy Use (24.75%), and Residential Energy Use (21.71%).

This is important information for Scio Township because it helps identify which sectors contribute most to greenhouse gas emissions in the broader region, guiding local priorities for climate action.

Since Transportation accounts for the largest share, the Township can focus on strategies like expanding public transit, encouraging electric vehicle adoption, and improving walkability and bike infrastructure. The significant emissions from Industrial and Residential Energy Use also highlight opportunities to promote energy efficiency programs, green building standards, and renewable energy adoption.

Taking Climate Local Action

Ann Arbor Public Schools: Greenhouse Gas Inventory

The Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) is a report that quantifies the amount of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions produced by the district.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 was the first complete data set at AAPS and is used as the baseline year in the GHGI. The baseline year is the year against which progress in reducing emissions is measured. This report allows AAPS to track its GHG emissions and take actions to reduce them.

The scope emissions are classified in:

Scope 1: natural gas, diesel, gasoline, and site sequestration

Scope 2: electricity

Scope 3: water

Learn more about AAPS Greenhouse Gas Inventory