GHG protocol Initiative- a step forward in GHG emissions calculations

Online, January 26, 2010 (Newswire.com) - On January 20th, the GHG Protocol Initiative announced that 60 companies had started measuring the greenhouse gas emissions of their products and supply chains by testing a new global framework, part of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative.

Developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI), a U.S. based environmental NGO, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), a Switzerland-based coalition of over 200 international companies. The two new GHG Protocol standards - the Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard and the Scope 3 (Corporate Value Chain) Accounting and Reporting Standard - provide methods to account for GHG emissions associated with individual products across their life-cycles and of corporations across their value chains.

To date most companies have been focusing on their Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions, whereas Scope 3 has tended to be confined to business travel. This new standard will allow companies to look comprehensively at the impact of their corporate value chains, including outsourced activities, supplier manufacturing, and the use of the products they sell.

GHG Protocol standards to be published in December 2010

More than 20 industry sectors from 17 countries are represented. The draft GHG Protocol standards were developed over the last year with participation from over 1,000 volunteer representatives from industry, government, academia and non-governmental organisations. The final GHG Protocol standards are planned to be published in December 2010.

With the GHG Protocol setting the standard for GHG emissions calculations around the world, this addition is also likely to become the genuine Protocol standard for more comprehensive evaluation of scope 3 GHG emissions. It can be considered a real step forward in GHG emissions calculations, since the GHG Protocol Initiative is going to be present in all GHG emissions calculating software solutions very soon.

Richard Morley, Director at Envido said, "By taking a comprehensive approach to GHG measurement and management, businesses can focus attention on the greatest opportunities to reduce GHG emissions within the full value chain, leading to more sustainable decisions.