Mobile Combustion
Greenhouse gas emissions from fuel burned in vehicles and mobile equipment owned or operated by the organisation — classified as Scope 1 under GHG Protocol.
Mobile combustion covers greenhouse gas emissions from the burning of fuel in transportation equipment owned or controlled by the reporting organisation. Under GHG Protocol, mobile combustion from owned vehicles is Scope 1. Third-party logistics vehicles used by the company but not owned by it are Scope 3 (Category 4 — upstream transportation).
What qualifies as mobile combustion in manufacturing
- Company-owned trucks and lorries (raw material and finished goods transport)
- Diesel or LPG forklifts and material handling equipment
- Employee shuttle buses owned by the company
- Company cars and fleet vehicles
Scope boundary clarity
A common error: including contract logistics vehicles in Scope 1. If your company does not own or operate the vehicle — even if you pay for the fuel — the emissions belong in Scope 3, not Scope 1. Clarity on vehicle ownership is essential before calculating mobile combustion.
Relative magnitude
Mobile combustion is typically 5–15% of total Scope 1 for manufacturing facilities where stationary combustion (boilers, furnaces) dominates. For distribution-heavy operations, the share is higher.