- Why is ISO developing a climate change standard?
- Why is ISO 14064 important to my business?
- How will my business benefit from the 14064 standard?
- Why is ISO developing an international climate change standard when there are already so many programs, standards and protocols that exist at the regional or national level?
- What are the similarities and differences between ISO 14064 and the WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol (GHG Protocol)?
- Will regulatory schemes or voluntary programs adopt ISO 14064 as a reporting protocol?
- How can an organization follow the ISO 14064 standard in addition to another scheme?
- What is the official title and structure of the ISO 14064 standard?
- How can my organization get involved and stay up to date with the latest changes to ISO 14064?
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), which is a network of national standards institutes from 147 countries, is in the process of developing a new standard for the quantification, monitoring, reporting and verification of project and entity level greenhouse gases. This new standard has been labeled as ISO 14064 and is comprised of three parts.
The first part specifies requirements for designing and developing organization or entity-level GHG inventories. The second part details requirements for quantifying, monitoring and reporting emission reductions and removal enhancements from GHG projects. The third part provides requirements and guidance for the conducting of GHG information validation and verification.
The development process for ISO 14064 began in June 2002 and the expected completion date is June 2005. * Note Since the beginning, First Environment has been involved in the climate change standard development process. As such, we have received numerous inquiries regarding ISO 14064 from businesses, attorneys, NGOs and other interested parties. We have included some of the more frequently asked questions below:
ISO 14064: The New Climate Change Standard
Why is ISO developing a climate change standard?
First and foremost, ISO is developing a GHG standard because climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing nations, governments, businesses and citizens. Climate change can potentially have an impact on environmental, social and economic systems. As such, government and multi-stakeholder initiatives are being developed to limit GHG emissions through various regulatory schemes and incentive programs such as trading, taxes, voluntary incentive programs, international treaties and carbon sequestration projects. Examples include: California Climate Action Registry, EU GHG Emissions Trading Scheme, US EPA Climate Leaders, Climate Neutral Network, Australia GHG Challenge, UK Emissions Trading Scheme, to name a few. Most of these initiatives rely upon sound quantification of GHG emissions and/or removals. ISO seeks to provide a standard that provides clear and consistent specifications for quantifying, monitoring, reporting and verifying GHGs.
Why is ISO 14064 important to my business?
The completed ISO 14064 is intended to represent best practices in GHG quantification for entities and projects. For companies that want to take action on climate change, but were reluctant because of developing and in some cases unresolved policy issues, the ISO standard offers an international consensus on the technical approach to GHG quantification and reporting. Using this technical approach, companies, especially multinational organizations, can advance GHG management programs without confusion from political disagreements associated with the issue.
In addition, Part 3 of the standard for the first time establishes international guidelines for the inventory and project verification. Verification is an important component to GHG trading and markets. Companies interested in participating in such markets can begin to structure programs and projects considering the ISO 14064 verification requirements.
How will my business benefit from the 14064 standard?
The international GHG standard will enable businesses to measure and report their GHG emissions consistently with the rest of the world. International corporations will be able to prepare global inventories using a single set of rules and procedures. All companies will have the ability to compare themselves against their counterparts throughout the world in terms of GHG performance, potentially leveraging their exemplary GHG emission performance into a competitive advantage.
ISO 14064 is also expected to support the following:
- Creation of comparable GHG units
- Consistency and transparency in reporting
- Improved management of GHG related liabilities and assets
- Support of GHG unit trading
- Facilitated participation in voluntary GHG initiatives
Why is ISO developing an international climate change standard when there are already so many programs, standards and protocols that exist at the regional or national level?
This is exactly why the ISO standard is necessary. As noted above, there is a proliferation of GHG-related methodologies, protocols, schemes and regimes. Thus, there is a strong need for harmonization of GHG accounting and reporting practices.
Additionally, traditional emissions, such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides, are generally handled on a regional or national level, since their effects diminish with distance from the source. Greenhouse gas emissions however, have a global impact; reductions of GHG emission reductions in one region serve to reduce the global GHG inventory. Consequently, GHG emissions effectively become a global currency, necessitating an international standard for reporting and measurement.
What are the similarities and differences between ISO 14064 and the WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol (GHG Protocol)?
Similar to the GHG Protocol, ISO 14064 is a product of an international multi-stakeholder consensus process. It is important to note that the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064 are not competing standards. In fact, ISO 14064 is intended to build upon, support and take forward the existing work of the GHG Protocol.
Although participation in ISO 14064 and the GHG Protocol are both voluntary, organizations can become certified to ISO 14064-1.1 and 2.1. If certification is desired, many of the components of ISO 14064 are required. Certification to ISO 14064 will demonstrate an organization’s commitment and adherence to best practice techniques and methodologies for the quantification, monitoring and reporting of GHGs. Though the GHG Protocol offers consistent best practice approaches, organizations cannot become certified to the requirements of the GHG Protocol.
Will regulatory schemes or voluntary programs adopt ISO 14064 as a reporting protocol?
ISO 14064 is a voluntary standard for businesses and other organizations and therefore was not designed with the purpose of adoption by government or other schemes or programs. ISO 14064 is regime and scheme neutral, which means information developed using the standard should be useful to participation in voluntary programs and with respect to scheme requirements. Thus, at this time it is not clear how ISO 14064 may relate to such schemes and programs. However, representatives of many schemes and programs have expressed interest in the ISO 14064 standard and are participating in its development process.
How can an organization follow the ISO 14064 standard in addition to another scheme?
The ISO 14064 standard does not preclude an organization from participating in other GHG programs, registries or schemes. In fact, it is intended that this standard can be easily used in conjunction with another GHG program. Organizations that voluntarily opt to comply with the ISO standard must follow the requirements of the ISO standard. If these requirements are different from those in another scheme, than the other scheme requirements are additional to what is required by the ISO standard.
What is the official title and structure of the ISO 14064 standard?
Although the standard is still in draft form, the title and structure of the standard are likely to be as follows:
- ISO 14064-1.1: Specifications for the quantification, monitoring and reporting of entity emissions and removals
- ISO 14064-2.1: Specifications for the quantification, monitoring and reporting of project emissions and removals
- ISO 14064-3.1: Specifications and guidance for validation, verification and certification
How can my organization get involved and stay up to date with the latest changes to ISO 14064?
First Environment president, Dr. B. Tod Delaney is a Co-Chair of the US Climate Change Task Group 5, which is the US mirror group of the international Working Group 5 for Climate Change.
Email contactus@firstenvironment.com for more information on ISO 14064. Individuals and organizations from the United States may participate in the ISO standard making process through American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the U.S. national standard body that is a member of ISO.
Note: The ISO 14064 Standard is now available for purchased download at:
http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=38381
