GHG Emissions Standards by the GHG Protocol

The GHG Protocol was established by a partnership between WRI and WBCSD with a crucial mission: to create universally accepted and comprehensive frameworks for measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the end goal of managing these emissions. These frameworks apply to both private and public sector operations, value chains, and mitigation efforts. Their significance has become even more pronounced in light of the commitments made in the 2015 Paris Agreement, which seeks to address climate change impacts and curb global temperature rise to below 1.5°C.

Here are some of the prominent standards developed by the GHG Protocol:

Corporate Standard

The GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard, commonly known as the Corporate Standard, establishes a uniform set of rules for accounting and reporting GHG emissions inventories. This standard identifies and classifies direct and indirect emissions originating from an organization’s various operations.

Scope 2 Guidance

The Scope 2 Guidance serve as an addendum to the Corporate Standard, furnishing updated requirements and best practices for Scope 2 accounting and reporting of indirect emissions within the organization’s operations. These revisions are designed to enhance the relevance, completeness, consistency, transparency, and accuracy of reported Scope 2 emissions data. Companies rely on these reported figures to establish emission reduction targets, monitor progress, and communicate these efforts to their stakeholders.

Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard

Building upon the Corporate Standard, the GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard extends its reach to cover other indirect emissions categorized as Scope 3 emissions. This standard offers classifications, specific requirements and guidance for creating comprehensive inventories of these indirect emissions across a company’s value chain.

Product Standard

The GHG Protocol Product Life Cycle Accounting and Reporting Standard, also referred to as the Product Standard, provides a framework for companies to compile GHG emissions inventories that encompass the entire life cycle of individual products or services. This comprehensive approach can extend from the extraction of raw materials to the disposal of the final product.

Project Protocol

The GHG Protocol for Project Accounting, or the Project Protocol, outlines the methodology for quantifying the GHG impacts associated with an organization’s specific projects as opposed to the entire company. These projects aim to either reduce the company’s current emissions, prevent future emissions, or sequester carbon from the atmosphere.


In summary, the GHG Protocol plays a vital role in our efforts to combat climate change by providing standardized frameworks and guidelines for measuring and managing GHG emissions across various sectors, thereby contributing to the goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

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