Measurement and Performance Tracking: Industry

Overview

Companies need to measure the GHG emissions of their operations and supply chains in order to effectively manage and accurately report them. The process of quantifying company /installation-level GHG emissions and compiling it in a GHG inventory, using consistent accounting standards, can help a company assess its climate risks and opportunities. National or sub-national level GHG programs promote the development of GHG inventories, in addition to other objectives such as supporting national climate strategies and providing information to stakeholders and investors.

The MAPT project is building upon WRI’s experience of over a decade using the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol to assist governments and in-country partners to establish and strengthen voluntary and mandatory GHG measurement and reporting programs. The activities under the project will build the capacity of businesses to account for corporate and facility-level GHG emissions using best practices. Depending on the country context, the project will also include modules on GHG management strategies and/or goal-setting guidance for participating companies, and facilitate industry’s engagement in climate policies, national targets, and in the development of nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs).

Scoping

In 2011, WRI worked with in-country partners to conduct a scoping exercise in each of the six MAPT countries. This included a combination of surveys with key stakeholders including government officials, consultation workshops and desk-based research.

The scoping exercise gathered information on existing practices and national/sub-national systems in GHG data collection and management in businesses, including methodologies, capacity needs and challenges in compiling GHG emissions-related data and developing corporate GHG inventories in various emissions-intensive economic sectors. This included details related to: technical resources (e.g., databases, tools); human resources; information management (i.e., the creation, storage, use, and review of data by human and technical resources); potential for integrated energy/GHG calculation tools and systems; reporting to stakeholders/sectoral or national agencies (e.g., reporting templates); confidentiality issues; and others.

The results of the country surveys, as compiled by in-country partners, can be accessed here.

Outputs

Research

WRI will be developing discussion papers on the relationship between corporate and national inventories and on comparing facility level mandatory reporting systems in different countries, to inform the activities in MAPT countries under this component. Over the course of the project, there may be other research documents produced under the component.

Tools and Standards

The component will utilize the tools and standards developed by the GHG Protocol and adopt them to country-specific contexts as needed. The standards and tools developed through a wide stakeholder consultation process represent the best practice in GHG accounting and their use brings consistency and standardization across countries. Standards and trainings are available in a number of areas including:

• Corporate-level GHG Accounting and Reporting Standard
• Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard
• Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard
• Cement Sector Guidance
• Green Power Accounting Guidance (under development)
• Agriculture Guidance (under development)

While the standards and guidance above explain the steps to develop a GHG inventory, calculation tools are used to convert a company’s available data into emissions. Below are just some of the many GHG calculation tools available through the GHG Protocol:

• Cross-sectoral tools
• Aluminum sector tool
• Cement sector tool
• Iron and steel sector tool
• Pulp and Paper
• Purchased electricity tool
• Transportation tool

Capacity Building and Training

The focus will be on local capacity building. Country specific activities may include:

• Support for creating a domestic institution that becomes the center for excellence within the country on all matters related to corporate GHG accounting;
• Training of business representatives to implement the best practices in GHG accounting and develop an accurate, complete and high-quality GHG inventories;
• Training of trainers on the GHG Protocol standards;

Background: WRI is a co-convener of the GHG Protocol, one of the most widely used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions. The MAPT project will utilize this experience to strengthen corporate GHG accounting and reporting capacity in key emission intensive sectors in select countries. Additional information can be accessed via www.ghgprotocol.org

Contacts

For further information on this component contact Neelam Singh and Kaleigh Robinson

Related Links

Greenhouse Gas Protocol