The Greenhouse Gas Protocol, a widely used international environmental standard for measuring and reporting emissions, is considering changes to the way it reports certain types of emissions. Supporters of the new guidance argue that existing rules make it too easy for businesses to overstate their commitments to environmentally friendly operations, such as being powered by renewable energy or making progress toward net-zero emissions.
Today, some major tech companies joined a call against the new guidance, calling for the new reporting rules to be optional rather than required. The joint statement argued that the proposed policies would reduce investment in sustainability programs and increase electricity prices. Apple and Amazon are among more than 60 companies that have signed the letter, bloomberg Informed.
The protocol’s three emissions tiers paint a clear picture of companies’ environmental efforts and how effective they are at reducing emissions. Scope 1 covers emissions from sources directly owned or controlled by a business, while Scope 2 covers “how corporations measure emissions from purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat and cooling.” Scope 3 is central to any other emissions produced within the business value chain. New proposed changes to the Scope 2 guidance will place stricter requirements on how companies use renewable energy certificates to offset their electricity emissions. Instead of purchasing clean energy certificates at any time during the year, companies must source clean energy that is geographically close and at the same time available to their grid-derived electricity. Any changes adopted by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol could take effect as early as next year.
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