ISO and GHG Protocol to merge greenhouse gas standards
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol will blend existing standards.
The partnership intends to enable users to rely on a coherent framework and reduce potential confusion in the market.
The bodies will also co-develop new standards for emissions reporting, in addition to blending existing ones.
ISO says that GHG standards have previously been developed separately with varying scopes and verification guidance. The partnership intends to produce a common language for emissions accounting to accelerate progress towards decarbonisation.
This includes standards from the ISO1406X family of standards, alongside the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and reporting, Scope 2 and Scope 3 standards.
Additionally, the organisations will jointly develop a product carbon-footprint standard, to reflect the increase in companies seeking more granular data from across their value chain, to guide decarbonisation decisions.
ISO claims the harmonised portfolio will simplify processes for companies, increase consistency for policymakers and reduce measurement and reporting burdens for all users.
It says this agreement aligns with recent calls for harmonisation by the B7 community (which consolidates interests of business and develops recommendations for the G7), and the International Sustainability Standards Board's global baseline for sustainability-related disclosures.
