In 2024, Essential Utilities completed a corporate carbon footprint assessment and publicly disclosed its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions according to the GHG Protocol, covering Scope 1 (direct emissions from owned or controlled sources), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from purchased energy) and Scope 3 (indirect emissions across the value chain).
Essential Utilities has also provided a category-level breakdown for 7 out of 15 Scope 3 emissions categories, offering greater transparency into its value chain emissions.
| Metric (tCO2e) | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Total Scope 1 | 886,965a | 926,130a | 978,263a | |
Total Scope 2 | ||||
Market-Based | 78,397a | 82,784a | 102,016a | |
Location-Based | N/A | 118,580b | 125,766b | |
Total Scope 3 | 16,090,427a | 16,389,772a | 18,040,780a | |
Total Scope 1 Revenue Intensity (tCO2e/$M) | 425.1759a | 450.9296a | 427.5565a |
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In 2024, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Essential Utilities amounted to 965,362 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. This figure includes both direct emissions from owned or controlled sources (Scope 1) and indirect emissions from purchased energy (Scope 2).a
Compared to 2023, the total operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of Essential Utilities decreased by 7.6%, showing that the company has made progress in taking action to reduce the climate impact of its operations.ab
In 2024, the total Scope 1 emissions of Essential Utilities were 886,965 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).a
Since 2019, Essential Utilities's Scope 1 emissions have decreased by 19.88%, reflecting a declining long-term trend in Scope 1 emissions over time.ab
Compared to the previous year (2023), Essential Utilities's Scope 1 emissions decreased by 4.23%, highlighting the company's efforts to lower direct emissions from assets it owns or controls.a
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 78,397 tCO₂e using the market-based method.a
Since 2019, Essential Utilities's Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Market-Based) have decreased by 66.61%, reflecting a declining long-term trend in Scope 2 emissions over time.ab
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported its Scope 2 emissions using the market-based method.a
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported 16,090,427 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) of Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, representing indirect emissions across its upstream and downstream value chain.a
The 2024 disclosure of Essential Utilities includes a breakdown across 7 of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol, up from 2 in 2023, reflecting improved emissions accounting practices and greater transparency across the company's value chaina
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported total Scope 3 emissions of 16,090,427 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e).a
Approximately 1.25% of these emissions originated from upstream activities such as purchased goods and capital goods, while 98.75% came from downstream activities like product use, distribution, and end-of-life treatment.a
Since 2019, Essential Utilities's Scope 3 emissions have increased by 14,438.45%, reflecting a rising long-term trend in Scope 3 emissions over time.ab
Compared to the previous year (2023), Essential Utilities's Scope 3 emissions remained relatively stable, indicating that Essential Utilities's emissions have plateaued with no significant change in its value chain footprint.a
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported emissions for 7 out of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined by the GHG Protocol.a
This partial disclosure allows for some insight into the company's indirect impacts.
In 2024, the largest contributors to Essential Utilities's Scope 3 emissions were:a
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 886,965 tCO₂e and total revenues of USD 2,086 millions. This translates into an emissions intensity of 425.18 tCO₂e per millions USD.a
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported a Scope 1 emissions intensity of 425.18 tCO₂e per millions USD. Compared to the peer group median of 94.4, this places the company above its industry benchmark, indicating it is less carbon-efficient than most competitors.a
In 2024, Essential Utilities ranked 20 out of 25 companies in its industry peer group, based on Scope 1 emissions intensity (measured in tCO₂e per millions USD).a
Essential Utilities is therefore positioned in the mid-range of its industry, neither a clear leader nor a laggard in carbon efficiency.a
In 2024, Essential Utilities reported a total carbon footprint of 17,055,789 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e) across Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3 emissions. This represents a 2.17% decrease compared to 2023, indicating progress in reducing its overall greenhouse gas output.ab
The largest contributor to Essential Utilities's total carbon footprint was Scope 3 emissions, accounting for 94.34% of the company's total carbon footprint, followed by Scope 1 emissions at 5.2%.a