Which carbon neutrality standards or frameworks do you follow or recommend?

Well, ISO 14064 is one of the best frameworks out there, as: -) It prioritizes Scope 3 emissions, the heavyweight in our supply chains. But Here is A catch: -) The catch is that Scope 1 & 2 of one company is Scope 3 for others. So if we can balance Scope 1 and Scope 2 will. automatically, reduce Scope 3 emissions.

Recommended carbon neutrality standards and frameworks include: 1. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Provides comprehensive guidelines for measuring and managing emissions. 2. ISO 14064: Offers standards for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas emissions and removals. 3. Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): Ensures targets are aligned with climate science. 4. PAS 2060: Specifies requirements for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality. 5. Carbon Trust Standard: Recognizes organizations for effective carbon management and reduction efforts. These frameworks help ensure accurate measurement, transparency, and credibility in carbon neutrality efforts.

Recognising the vital role that high-quality carbon credits play in global climate action, the standard's emphasis on developing a robust carbon management plan and encourages organisations to pursue a balanced strategy of internal emissions reductions alongside strategic use of carbon credits. (It's worth noting that PAS 2060 is set to transition to BS ISO 14068-1:2023 by November 30, 2025. This evolution reflects the dynamic nature of carbon management standards.) For organisations using this standard's requirement for transparent disclosure of carbon neutral claims, including details on offsetting, it enhances credibility. Its transparency help build trust in both the carbon neutrality claims and the underlying carbon credit projects.

Absolutely! Science Based Targets (SBTs) are indeed a cornerstone for achieving carbon neutrality. They provide a robust framework for setting emissions reduction targets in line with climate science. Many organizations, regardless of size or sector, find SBTs invaluable for aligning their climate action plans with the latest scientific research. Whether you're aiming for carbon neutrality or simply reducing emissions, integrating SBTs into your strategy can pave the way for meaningful and impactful change.

Many industries also have net-zero initiatives alliances, each implementing different net-zero actions. Among them, banking and asset management play a key role in transitioning to low-carbon. Therefore, the UN has several financial-related alliances such as the UN-Convened Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance (NZAOA), Net-Zero Banking Alliance, Net-Zero Insurance Alliance, Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), which provide guidelines for financial-related climate actions.

Carbon neutrality with only operations (leaving out significant value chain impacts i.e. scope 3 emissions) and using major portion of carbon offsets will not acceptable any more. In the absence of SBTi to start somewhere, it was good to start with PAS 2060. I used this approach for a major carbon neutrality declaration in 2018. However, taking this shortcut will not work anymore and may even be taken as greenwashing.

ISO 14064 is good for GHG accounting at organisational level... doing GHG accounting as per ISO14064 and making it verifiable by third party certification body adds more value to the GHG accounting and also reduce the chances of green washing. PAS2060 is also good for carbon neutrality. When organisation have real determination of reduction of GHG emission and they take help of ISO or PAS standard,then there will be limited chances of green washing.

Ao desenvolver uma estratégia de neutralidade de carbono, é fundamental considerar não apenas os padrões e estruturas específicos, mas também outros aspectos importantes, como o comprometimento da liderança, o engajamento dos stakeholders, a transparência, a integração de soluções de baixo carbono, a inovação, a colaboração, e o monitoramento e avaliação contínuos. Esses elementos ajudam a garantir uma abordagem abrangente e eficaz para reduzir as emissões de carbono e alcançar a neutralidade carbono de forma sustentável.