Tuesday 4 April 2023

What is the Greenhouse Gas standard ISO 14068 and what does it mean for you?

What is the Greenhouse Gas standard ISO 14068 and what does it mean for you?

Introducing an internationally recognised standard for Greenhouse Gas management and related activities will be a significant step forward in aligning Net Zero claims with achievements but what is ISO 14068 and what does this mean for you?

What it isn’t

  • New ideas or principles
  • A substantially different framework
  • A replacement for SBTi to demonstrate commitment and reaching interim targets
  • Yet another thing to sign up to

What it is

ISO 14068 is a comprehensive standard for verifying when carbon neutral is reached and being maintained. It brings ‘carbon neutral' and ‘net zero' together properly for avoidance of doubt and provides a clear structure in one place which supports a pathway to carbon neutral/net zero.

The standard is comprehensive – it includes scopes 1, 2 and 3 and uses ISO 14064-1:2018 as the source of the required inclusions. It excludes the purchase of renewable energy as reductions and gives clear advice on avoiding double counting.

Can we use ISO 14068 now?

The draft of the standard was released for review in November 2022. The review closes mid-April 2023, after which a report on the review will be issued and amendments or proposal for finalisation will be considered at a higher level. It is anticipated that the final standard will be published by spring/summer 2024. We do know enough, however, to ensure that the work we do now will all contribute to certification to the standard.

Net Zero or Carbon Neutral?

These two terms are often mis-used or confused.

Carbon neutral – is a condition in which during a specified period there has been no net emission of GHGs to the atmosphere as the carbon footprint of the subject has been counterbalanced by offsetting. Achievement of this condition is not limited to the GHG emissions and GHG removals within the boundary of the subject and can include counterbalancing measures such as the use of carbon offsets as long as these meet certain criteria.

Net Zero - means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere, by oceans and forests for instance.

ISO 14068 is the standard that measures carbon neutrality

The carbon neutrality management hierarchy can be illustrated as follows:

When will you be using ISO 14068?

  • When planning a carbon neutral/net zero strategy to ensure your end point will meet a verifiable standard
  • Once you believe you have reached carbon neutral/net zero*
  • If a key supplier/stakeholder is making a carbon neutral/net zero claim to check credibility (in time we will see certification to assist with this)

* If you need 3rd party verification now the pathway is a Carbon Assurance Verification/Validation Statement compliant with ISO 14065: 2020

The approach to ISO 14068

 

Core principles of ISO 14068

There are 10 core principles to the standard:

Call now to discuss how you can start planning for ISO 14068 as part of your Net Zero plans: 0800 6127 567 or email george.richards@jrpsolutions.com.

 

Please follow this link to request this information as a factsheet, or to request any of the following factsheets:

  • Offsetting
  • Practical guidance for achieving Net Zero
  • The role of CHP in the Net Zero economy
  • Energy emissions reporting and compliance schemes
  • Net Zero - Effecting organisational change from the top
  • Streamlined Energy & Carbon Reporting (SECR)
  • Changes to regulations on standby generators
  • Practical advice on how to deliver an energy behaviour programme
  • What is the Greenhouse Gas standard ISO 14068 and what does it mean for you?
  • Insetting

 

Written by

Bruna Pinhoni

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