As the world faces the challenges of global climate change, there is a global push to “decarbonize. The United Nations has required countries to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Long Term Low Carbon Development Strategies (LEDS), which specify the goal of achieving “carbon neutrality” by 2050. This global trend has led to increased low-carbon trade barriers and increased demands on exporters and their global business partners to measure and report their carbon emissions. In fact, the EU is promoting a “carbon border adjustment scheme” that will require exporters of steel, aluminum, and other products to report their carbon emissions by product and gradually purchase credits.

So how do companies and countries calculate and report their GHG emissions?

Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP)

The most widely used international standard for calculating greenhouse gases worldwide is the GHG Protocol. It provides a broad, standardized framework for measuring, managing, and disclosing the greenhouse gas emissions of companies, organizations, cities, and countries. The GHGP has developed technical guidance for a variety of use organizations and practices, but here are just a few that you may find useful.

• Corporate Standard: The Corporate Standard is a basic guide for companies and other organizations preparing to disclose information about their greenhouse gas emissions. Many companies utilize it as a framework for their own greenhouse gas accounting and reporting requirements.
• Corporate Value Chain (SCOPE3) Standard: Provides guidance for assessing indirect emissions within a company’s value chain (supply chain).
• Product standards: Provides guidance for reporting and calculating emissions for the entire life cycle of a product. It includes emissions from product transportation to product disposal and can be used as a methodology for companies to create sustainable products.

How can you use it?

Companies should use GHGP to build and manage an inventory of GHG emissions within their organization. This enables you to respond to stakeholder demands for emissions disclosure from governments, investors, and customers, manage your company’s carbon footprint, and identify ways to reduce emissions to improve your global competitiveness. The GHGP is the foundation for many other global standards and initiatives. Because many organizations and governments have adopted greenhouse gas protocols, companies can use them to respond to the requirements of multiple organizations.

• Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 305: Corporate Standards and Corporate Value Chains (Scope 3) Standards-Based
• CDP: Recommends companies use GHGP for emissions reporting
• ISO 14064: A partial complement to the corporate standard for GHG protocols
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): GHGP’s corporate standard, requiring compliance with the corporate value chain (Scope 3) standard.

With such globally recognized and accepted organizations and initiatives adhering to the GHGP standard, leveraging GHGP can save companies the time and effort required to learn about different frameworks and complete multiple reports.

Easy greenhouse gas emissions calculator

PlanESG’s Carbon Calculator is a program developed in accordance with GHGP criteria and global standards to simplify the carbon accounting process within your organization. With a unified view of all emissions data within your organization, you can respond to a variety of climate-related disclosure requests. The solution also makes it easy for companies to calculate and manage their emissions, and transparently disclose data to stakeholders to ensure data credibility. For more information about the Carbon Calculator, please contact us by clicking the Contact Us button below and we’ll be happy to help.