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| | == Definition == | | == Definition == |
| − | '''GHG Inventory''' is the enumeration of an entity's contributions to [[Greenhouse Gas Emissions]]. <ref>The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, A corporate accounting and reporting standard, Revised Edition 2008</ref>. A corporate GHG inventory program includes all institutional, managerial, and technical arrangements made for | + | A '''GHG Inventory''' is the enumeration (quantification) of an entity's contributions to [[Greenhouse Gas Emissions]] <ref>The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, A corporate accounting and reporting standard, Revised Edition 2008</ref>. |
| − | the collection of data, preparation of the inventory, and implementation of steps to manage the quality of the inventory.
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| − | == Business Objectives ==
| + | Other terms used in the same context are: [[GHG Accounting]] and [[Carbon Footprint]]. Planning for climate action begins with developing a GHG inventory. |
| − | The GHG inventory serves various business goals:
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| − | * Managing [[GHG Risks]] and identifying reduction opportunities
| + | NB: In other contexts one might use the term ''Scope''. In the context of GHG emissions [[GHG Emission Scope]] has a very specific meaning. |
| − | ** Identifying risks associated with GHG constraints in the future
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| − | ** Identifying cost effective reduction opportunities
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| − | ** Setting GHG targets, measuring and reporting progress
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| − | * Public reporting and participation in voluntary GHG programs
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| − | ** Voluntary stakeholder reporting of GHG emissions and progress towards GHG targets
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| − | ** Reporting to government and NGO reporting programs, including GHG registries
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| − | ** Eco-labelling and GHG certification
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| − | * Participating in mandatory reporting programs
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| − | ** Participating in government reporting programs at the national, regional, or local level
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| − | * Participating in GHG markets
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| − | ** Supporting internal [[GHG Emissions Trading]] programs
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| − | ** Participating in external cap and trade allowance trading programs
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| − | ** Calculating carbon/[[GHG Taxes]]
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| − | * Recognition for early voluntary action.
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| − | ** Providing information to support “baseline protection” and/or credit for early action
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| − | == Technical Components == | + | == GHG Inventory Methods == |
| − | * Methods : These are the technical aspects of inventory preparation. Companies should select or develop methodologies for estimating emissions that accurately represent the characteristics of their source categories. The [[GHG Protocol]] provides many default methods and calculation tools to help with this effort. The design of an inventory program and quality management system should provide for the selection, application, and updating of inventory methodologies as new research becomes available, changes are made to business operations, or the impor- tance of inventory reporting is elevated. | + | * National GHG inventory methods |
| − | * Data: This is the basic information on activity levels, emission factors, processes, and operations. Although methodologies need to be appropriately rigorous and detailed, [[Data Quality]] is more important. No methodology can compensate for poor quality input data. The design of a corporate inventory program should facilitate the collection of high quality inventory data and the maintenance and improvement of collection procedures | + | * [[Corporate GHG Inventory]] methods |
| − | * Inventory Processes and Systems: These are the institutional, managerial, and technical procedures for preparing GHG inventories. They include the team and processes charged with the goal of producing a high quality inventory. To streamline GHG inventory quality management, these processes and systems may be integrated, where appropriate, with other corporate processes related to quality. | + | * City-Level GHG Inventroy methods |
| − | * Documentation: This is the record of methods, data, processes, systems, assumptions, and estimates used to prepare an inventory. It includes everything employees need to prepare and improve a company’s inventory. Since estimating GHG emissions is inherently technical (involving engineering and science), high quality, trans- parent documentation is particularly important to credibility. If information is not credible, or fails to be effectively communicated to either internal or external stakeholders, it will not have value.
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| | == References == | | == References == |
