GHG quantification, reduction and tracking
To create an effective climate strategy, an organization need to develop an overall and complete approach, which goes from quantifying their GHG emissions, set a target and track, create a plan to reduce and track emission changes through the years.
Collect Data and Quantify GHG Emissions
Develop a GHG Inventory Management Plan
Set a GHG Emission Reduction Target
Track and Report Progress
Inventory in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol
A greenhouse gas inventory is an environmental audit detailing all GHG emissions emitted into the atmosphere by the reporting company. GHG inventories are based on protocols that ensure standardized calculations. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) provides accounting and reporting standards, sectorial guidance, calculation tools, and training for businesses and local and national governments. It has created a comprehensive, global, standardized framework for measuring and managing emissions from private and public sector operations, value chains, products, cities, and policies to enable greenhouse gas reductions across the board.
Strategies to enhance data monitoring
Quantifying GHG emissions can be challenging when data are not monitored in the appropriate setting. Strategies can help organizations collect GHG emissions data without any efforts and plays a key role in assessing the low carbon plan
High impact initiatives
Target initiatives with high impacts on climate change mitigation
Key regional strategies
Decarbonization strategies are different for each organization, depending on a multitude of factor such as regional characteristics and business models. Those need to be assess and evaluated to create an efficient GHG reduction plan.
Track and report the carbon reduction
Report emissions
GHG audits can be reported on various platforms such as de Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) and other organizations to enhance the credibility of the overall climate strategy.
FAQ
What is a greenhouse gas?
The greenhouse gas effect is the process by which gases in the atmosphere traps infrared radiation from the sun and maintain Earth at a suitable temperature. Increasing the proportion of those greenhouse gases increase the quantity of rays trapped in the atmosphere, thus increasing Earth’s temperature. The main greenhouse gas emitted by human is CO2 and comes from the combustion of fossil fuel. Some gases emitted has a cooling effect, has aerosols, and others have a higher warming potential than CO2. Global warming potential is the effect a gas has on the warming of the planet in comparison with CO2. For example, freon, mainly used for air conditioning, has a global warming potential of more than 1000X higher than CO2.
Why is it necessary to do an inventory on the entire organization value chain?
Emissions from direct activities, such as energy consumption by building and vehicles, usually represent a fraction of the overall organization emissions. Carbon intensive sectors in the organization value chain can have high risks on the organization capacity to deliver theirs activities. As an example, if a company defines its business around a carbon-intensive material, future carbon regulations and taxes could prevent the company from operating and be sustainable over time.
Is it requested by law to quantify GHG emissions?
Greenhouse gas inventories are mandatory only for large organization. Those are either requested by the government or investors to track, and sometimes reduce emissions. small and medium enterprise (SME) are generally not requested to produce GHG inventories. Laws might change in the upcoming years to enforce a behavioral change toward a low carbon economy, as it is the case in Europe.
How do we know human activities causes climate change?
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) deliver reports on the state of climate change, causes, pathways to mitigate and adapt. The panel, regrouping thousands of scientific, is clear on the subject: the planet is warming and it is caused by human activities.