Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory
Greenhouse gas emission inventory is a systematic collection and analysis of data on emissions of GHGs, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), etc. The inventory provides a comprehensive overview of an organization’s GHG emissions, including the sources and sectors responsible for the emissions.
The process of creating a Greenhouse gas emission inventory involves the following steps:
1) Data Collection: Collect data on Greenhouse gas emissions from various sources, including energy use, transportation, agriculture, and industrial processes.
2) Data Analysis: Analyze the collected data to estimate the total Greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions from direct and indirect sources. Categories/scopes includes.
- Direct Emissions –Â Â Sources owned or controlled by reporting entity.
- Indirect Emissions from Energy – Emissions occur at the facility from purchased electricity, steam, and cooling or heating.
- Indirect Value chain Emissions – Sources that are not owned and not directly controlled by the reporting company. However, they are related to the company’s activities.
3) Reporting: Report the GHG emissions in a clear and transparent manner, including the methodology used, data sources, and uncertainties.
4) Verification: GHG emission inventory independently verified to ensure accuracy and credibility through third party verification
5)Assurance: Assurance of GHG data according to AA1000 Assurance standard through third party.Â
The Greenhouse gas emission inventory provides important information for organizations and governments to assess their Greenhouse gas emissions and take action to reduce them, as well as track progress over time.
Benefits of Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory
The benefits of conducting a greenhouse gas emission inventory are:
- Climate Action Planning: It provides a baseline for developing a climate action plan and tracking progress towards greenhouse gas reduction targets.
- Improve Energy Efficiency: It helps organizations identify areas for energy-saving opportunities and take steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
- Compliance: It is often a requirement for organizations to report their greenhouse gas emissions for compliance with national and international regulations.
- Transparency and Credibility: It provides a transparent and credible representation of an organization’s GHG emissions, public reporting and enabling stakeholders to understand the organization’s environmental impact.
- Cost savings: By identifying areas of high greenhouse gas emissions, organizations can take steps to reduce emissions and reduce costs through improved energy efficiency and waste reduction.
- Increase competitiveness: Demonstrating a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions can improve an organization’s reputation and competitiveness, particularly in industries where sustainability is becoming increasingly important to consumers.
- Risk Assessment: Identify GHG associated risks in the future and identifying reduction opportunities
- GHG Programs and Markets: It helps in participating in voluntary or mandatory GHG programs and GHG markets. Gain recognition for early voluntary action.Â
Overall, conducting a greenhouse gas emission inventory is a key step towards reducing an organization’s greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Standards of Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory
- ISO 14064 Standards
- Â Â Part 1: Design and develop GHG Inventories for organizations
- Â Â Part 2: Quantify, monitor and report emission reduction and removal enhancement
- Â Â Part 3: Verification and Validation of greenhouse statementsÂ
- Greenhouse Gas Protocol
- AA1000AS v3: Used by external auditing bodies to assure the reliability of organization’s reporting
These standards provide a common framework and methodology for organizations to assess and report Greenhouse Gas emission, and help ensure that Greenhouse Gas emission inventory are transparent, credible, and comparable.