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<h2>Ranked: The Most Carbon-Intensive Sectors in the World</h2> <p><em>This was originally posted on <a href="https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/the-most-carbon-intensive-sectors-in-the-world/" target="_blank">Elements</a>. Sign up to the <a href="https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/subscribe/" target="_blank">free mailing list</a> to get beautiful visualizations on real assets and resource megatrends each week.</em></p> <p>Ever wonder which sectors contribute the most to CO2 emissions around the world?</p> <p>In this graphic, we explore the answers to that question by comparing average Scope 1 emission intensities by sector, according to an analysis done by <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/sustainability-journal/sustainability-q4_2022_v9_double-page-spread-view.pdf">S&P Global Inc.</a></p> <h2>Defining Scope 1 Emissions</h2> <p>Before diving into the data, it may be useful to understand what Scope 1 emissions entail.</p> <p>Scope 1 emissions are direct <a href="https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/visualizing-changes-in-co2-emissions-since-1900/">greenhouse gas emissions</a> from sources that are owned or controlled by a company, such as their facilities and vehicles.</p> <p>Scope 1 emissions can do a good job of highlighting a company’s environmental footprint because they represent the <a href="https://www.visualcapitalist.com/life-cycle-emissions-evs-vs-combustion-engine-vehicles/">direct emissions</a> related to manufacturing or creating a company’s products, whether they are tangible goods, digital software, or services.</p> <p>Scope 2 and 3 emissions, on the other hand, encompass the indirect emissions associated with a company’s activities, including those from a company’s purchased electricity, leased assets, or investments.</p> <h2>Ranking the Carbon Giants</h2> <p>According to S&P Global’s analysis of 2019-2020 average emissions intensity by sector, <strong>utilities</strong> is the most carbon-intensive sector in the world, emitting a staggering <strong>2,634 tonnes of CO2</strong> per $1 million of revenue.</p> <p>Materials and energy sectors follow behind, with <strong>918 tonnes</strong> and <strong>571 tonnes</strong> of CO2 emitted, respectively.</p> <table cellspacing="0" style="--border-color:#dddddd; --even-bg-color:#ffffff; --even-text-color:var(--text-color); --head-active-bg-color:#049cdb; --head-active-text-color:var(--head-text-color); --head-bg-color:#d9edf7; --head-text-color:var(--text-color); --hover-bg-color:#f3f3f3; --hover-text-color:var(--text-color); --odd-bg-color:#f9f9f9; --odd-text-color:var(--text-color); --padding:0.5rem; --text-color:#111111; border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0px; font-size:0.9rem; font-variant-ligatures:normal; text-align:start; text-decoration-color:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-thickness:initial; width:592px"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:1px solid black; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap; width:161px"><span style="font-size:15px"><strong><span style="color:black"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sector</span></span></strong></span></td> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><strong><span style="color:black"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sector Explanation</span></span></strong></span></td> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:181px"><span style="font-size:15px"><strong><span style="color:black"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Scope 1 CO2 emissions per $1M of revenue, 2019-2020</span></span></strong></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Utilities</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Electric, gas, and water utilities and independent producers</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">2,634 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Materials</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chemicals, construction materials, packaging, metals, and mining</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">918 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Energy</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Oil and gas exploration/production and energy equipment</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">571 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Industrials</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Capital goods, commercial services, and transportation</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">194 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Consumer staples</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Food, household goods, and personal products</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">90 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Consumer discretionary</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Automobiles, consumer durables, apparel, and retailing</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">33 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Real estate</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Real estate and real estate management</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">31 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Information technology</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Software, technology hardware, and semiconductors</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">24 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Financials</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Banks, insurance, and diversified financials</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--even-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--even-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">19 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:40px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Communication services</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Telecommunication, media, and entertainment</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--odd-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--odd-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">9 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:var(--hover-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-top:none; height:61px; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--hover-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Health care</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--hover-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:normal; width:249px"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--hover-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Health care equipment, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and life sciences</span></span></span></td> <td style="background-color:var(--hover-bg-color); border-bottom:1px solid black; border-left:none; border-right:1px solid black; text-align:center; vertical-align:middle; white-space:nowrap"><span style="font-size:15px"><span style="color:var(--hover-text-color)"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">7 tonnes</span></span></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>S&P Global also <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/esg/insights/featured/sustainability-journal/sustainability-q4_2022_v9_double-page-spread-view.pdf">reveals</a> some interesting insights when it comes to various <strong>industries within the materials sector</strong>, including:</p> <ul> <li>Cement manufacturing exhibits an extremely high level of Scope 1 emissions, emitting more than double the emissions from the utilities sector (<strong>5,415 tonnes of CO2 per $1M of revenue</strong>)</li> <li><a href="https://elements.visualcapitalist.com/how-is-aluminum-made/">Aluminum</a> and steel production are also quite emission-intensive, emitting 1,421 and 1,390 tonnes respectively in 2019-2020</li> <li>Relatively lower-emission materials such as gold, glass, metals and paper products bring down the average emissions of the materials sector</li> </ul> <p>Given these trends, a closer look at emission-intensive industries and sectors is necessary for our urgent need to decarbonize the global economy.</p>
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