17 Useful Links and Resources Related to Greenhouse Gases (GHG)

When it comes to accounting and managing corporate carbon footprint and product carbon footprint, having the right documentation is essential. Here are 17 key documents that are crucial for this process. 

In today's business environment, managing greenhouse gas emissions is more relevant than ever. Businesses are under increasing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and operate in a more sustainable manner. Understanding the key international regulations surrounding greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for businesses looking to stay compliant and make a positive impact on the environment.

We have collected 17 useful links and resources that are crucial for accounting and managing corporate carbon footprint and product carbon footprint, including:

• methodological guidelines for calculation of greenhouse gas emissions and removals
• internationally recognized methodologies, standards and tools
• important international documents.

1. 14064-1-2018 

In December of 2018 a new version of ISO 14064-1 was published. This version adapts the names of terms, changes the structure of the document, expands some important sections, and provides clarifications. The first part of the ISO 14064 standards group provides specifies principles and requirements at the organization level for the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gases and removals. It includes requirements for the design, development, management, reporting and verification of an organization's GHG inventory. 

2. ISO 14064-2-2019 

This document specifies principles and requirements and provides guidance at the project level for the quantification, monitoring and reporting of activities intended to cause greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions or removal enhancements. It includes requirements for planning a GHG project, identifying and selecting GHG sources, sinks and reservoirs (SSRs) relevant to the project and baseline scenario, monitoring, quantifying, documenting and reporting GHG project performance and managing data quality. This part is updated in 2029.

3. ISO 14064-3-2019 

The third part of the ISO 14064 standards group ISO 14064-3-2019 covers the requirements and guidance for validation and verification of greenhouse gas statements. This part can be used by organizations or independent parties for validation or verification of statements related to greenhouse gases. This standard is also updated in 2019, the algorithm of verification and validation is in accordance with the best international practices.

4. GHG Protocol Corporate 

The most used standard for corporate carbon footprint accounting and reporting. The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard contains requirements and guidelines for companies that prepare an inventory of GHG emissions at the organizational level. The standard covers accounting and reporting for seven greenhouse gases. It was updated in 2015 with Scope 2 Guidance that allows companies to reliably measure and report emissions from purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat and cooling.

5. GHG Protocol Scope 3 

The Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard allows companies to assess their entire value chain emissions impact and identify where to focus reduction activities.

6. GHG Calculation Tools 

The GHG Protocol tools enable companies and cities to develop comprehensive and reliable inventories of their GHG emissions and help track progress towards their climate goals. The following types of calculation tools are available on the website: sectoral, cross-sectoral, country-specific, and country- and city-specific tools. 

7. 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories 

The most popular 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories provide internationally agreed methodologies for countries to use when assessing greenhouse gas inventories. The Guidelines are presented in 5 volumes: General Guidance and Reporting, Energy, Industrial Processes and Product Use, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use, and Waste.

8. GHG Protocol Product Standard 

This Protocol is a standard for accounting and reporting a product's carbon footprint. It can be used to understand the full life cycle emissions of a product and focus efforts on the greatest GHG reduction opportunities. 

9. ISO 14067-2019 

From August 2018 there is an updated standard with requirements and guidelines for quantification and provision of information on the carbon footprint of the product. This document specifies principles, requirements and guidelines for the quantification and reporting of the carbon footprint of a product (CFP), including services based on GHG emissions and absorption during the life cycle of products.

10. ISO 14040:2006/Amd 1:2020 / ISO 14044:2006 

These documents establish LCA principles and structure including goals and scope of application, life cycle inventories stages, impact assessment and interpretation stages, reporting obligations and limitations, relationship between the LCA phases, and conditions for use of value choices and optional elements.

11. PAS 2050:2011 

A useful guide to calculating a product's carbon footprint is PAS 2050, updated in 2011. This is a publicly available specification on methods for measuring greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production and consumption of products and services. This carbon standard can be used to identify major emission sources or hotspots in the supply chain and thereby help prioritize initiatives to reduce emissions.

12. IPCC Sixth Assessment Report, 2021, Part I 

The Sixth Assessment Report consists of contributions from each of the three IPCC Working Groups and a Synthesis Report (SYR), which integrates the Working Group contributions and the Special Reports produced in the cycle. The first part of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report was released in August 2021 and provides the most comprehensive climate information. The report is prepared by hundreds of scientists from around the world, analyses thousands of scientific papers with observations, computer modelling and carefully checks each formulation.

13. EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) 

In October 2023 the EU Carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) regulation was published. The document provides for a phased introduction of CBAM, which involves mandatory purchase by importers of certificates for greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the carbon intensity of their products. According to the Regulation during the transition period CBAM will apply to imports into the EU of products from 5 industries: iron and steel, cement, some fertilizers, aluminium, and electricity. The full CBAM system will be fully operational from 2026, extension of the mechanism to other industries is possible. 

During transitional period EU experts are actively working to improve the CBAM mechanism and eliminate gap. 

14. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Corporate Net-Zero Standard 

The SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero Standard is the world’s only framework for corporate net-zero target setting in line with climate science. It includes the guidance, criteria, and recommendations companies need to set science-based net-zero targets consistent with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C. 

15. ISO 14068-1:2023 

ISO 14068 provides principles, requirements, and guidance for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality. It focuses on quantifying, reducing, and offsetting carbon footprints, utilizing a hierarchical approach prioritizing direct and indirect GHG emission reductions and removal enhancements within the value chain over offsetting. 

16. PAS 2060:2014 

PAS 2060 helps organizations demonstrate the carbon neutrality of a specific product, entity, or activity. It underpins reliable, credible claims that the subject of such a claim can indeed be considered carbon neutral. 

17. ISO 14090:2019 

This document specifies principles, requirements, and guidelines for adaptation to climate change. This includes the integration of adaptation within or across organizations, understanding impacts and uncertainties and how these can be used to inform decisions.

How SGS can help?

SGS has been providing climate and GHG services since 1997 and has global experience in verifying and calculating GHG emissions. We stand ready to assist in responding to both national and global climate challenges and demands, and in achieving GHG reduction and carbon neutrality goals.

SGS holds several accreditations under various standards and schemes including, but not limited to: ISO 14065 (ISO 14066), European Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), EU ETS aviation, CORSIA. Please contact us via webform to get more information and practical support on GHG management.