Greenhouse Gas Inventory Development
Voluntary Programs and GHG Reporting Options
Climate Change Briefings and Strategy Consulting
Why Choose E Source?
In response to pressures from investor groups such as the Carbon Disclosure Project, large companies such as Wal-mart, and other organizations, more and more companies are developing companywide greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories and are voluntarily reporting their emissions. In addition, regulations are in place or under development to require companies to report or to control their GHG emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) mandatory GHG reporting rule goes into effect in 2010 and the U.S. Senate is working on carbon cap-and-trade legislation with a reasonably good chance of passage in 2010.
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to develop a corporate GHG emissions inventory and data management system and to consider your climate change and sustainability business strategy.
Developing a GHG inventory is an important first step. Understanding your current GHG emissions profile provides the basis for weighing your strategic options and creating opportunities to enhance your business image and competitiveness. Completing a GHG inventory will allow your company to:
- Estimate financial risks under future state, regional, or national climate change policies and regulations
- Report emissions (and risks) to shareholders
- Identify opportunities to reduce emissions
- Evaluate whether to join a voluntary climate change program or emissions registry
Download Free White Paper: GHG Inventories 101
E Source can help you develop a comprehensive GHG inventory, provide your organization with a long-term inventory management plan, and equip you with the tools to manage the inventory process going forward.
With our assistance, you’ll be able to:
- Clarify your organizational boundaries (for example, which emissions are the responsibility of your company and which are not)
- Be confident that your baseline data are accurate through our rigorous preinventory validation process
- Know your total emissions by type (by base year and additional years, as desired)—we’ll uncover any trends, assess emissions intensity, and identify opportunities for emissions reductions
- Be equipped with a detailed road map (or Inventory Management Plan [IMP]) for updating and maintaining your inventory for years into the future—the IMP documents data sources, emissions quantification methods, and emission factors; it identifies key staff roles and responsibilities for managing the process and updating the inventory in future years; and it provides preparation for possible third-party verification of the inventory
GHG data management is a key to long-term success. After completing a GHG inventory for your company’s operations, E Source can help you assemble data collection and management systems to make your annual inventory updating process as smooth and efficient as possible. In addition, if it makes sense for your company we can help you select an appropriate web-based software tool and help you upload your energy and emissions data. To complement the software tool, we can also help you create a system to manage the data collection process and annual inventory reports.
Download Free White Paper: Setting a GHG Reduction Goal
GHG Accounting Principles
Before beginning an inventory at any level, it is helpful to understand some basic principles of inventories. These principles provide the basis for tracking your company’s GHG emissions from year to year and for comparing emissions totals among different companies. Currently, the standard international protocol for corporate greenhouse gas inventories is the GHG Protocol, based largely on commonly accepted financial accounting principles, which was developed by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development. The GHG Protocol explains five principles for a good, quality inventory:
- Relevance—the inventory includes the appropriate facilities and types of emissions sources to meet the company’s goals.
- Completeness—an adequate percentage of the company’s total facilities and emissions sources have been included in the inventory.
- Consistency—the same facilities, emissions sources, and emissions quantification methods are used from year to year.
- Accuracy—using accepted quantification methods and emissions factors as well as managing data quality.
- Transparency—the important boundary decisions, data sources, and quantification methods are well documented.
The GHG Protocol is used as the basis for many programs, including the EPA Climate Leaders program, the California Climate Action Registry, and the Chicago Climate Exchange. In addition, the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme uses parts of the GHG Protocol.
Based on the results of the inventory and your company’s situation, we can help you evaluate the costs and benefits of reporting emissions to the Carbon Disclosure Project or joining a voluntary climate change program such as Climate Leaders or the Climate Action Registry.
Hundreds of U.S. companies are leveraging voluntary climate change programs to help develop cost-effective plans for responding to future GHG regulations. Many companies in these programs are taking moderate steps to reduce their GHG emissions, and some are setting aggressive emissions-reduction goals and positioning themselves as leaders. Businesses are joining these programs for a variety of reasons, ranging from pressure by investors and environmental groups to a desire for a stronger voice in shaping climate change policy.
Download Free White Paper: Voluntary Climate Change Programs
Our experts are available to provide half-day on-site customized workshops with your company’s management team on climate-related business issues. Available modules for presentations and facilitated discussions include:
- Regulatory and policy developments and implications
- GHG trading markets
- Voluntary climate change programs
- The inventory and data process
- Stakeholder relations
- Strategic business options
E Source experts have the knowledge and experience to help you answer these questions and navigate this new challenge. Over the past eight years, E Source has assisted more than 50 companies of all types with GHG emission inventories, management plans, reduction goals, and other strategic issues. We have provided technical support to the EPA Climate Leaders program since its inception in 2002. Our GHG knowledge and experience enable us to recommend best practice GHG inventory management approaches and risk-mitigation strategies.
Download Carbon Management brochure (PDF)
Neil Kolwey
Research Manager
303-345-9123
E-mail Neil