# Greenhouse Gas Protocol

Category: The A-Z Of Sustainability

## Short Summary
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the world's most widely used framework for measuring and managing greenhouse gas emissions. It provides standardized methods for businesses, governments, and organizations to calculate, report, and reduce their carbon footprints across operations and value chains.

## Full Definition
What is the GHG Protocol? The Greenhouse Gas Protocol is a comprehensive global framework established in 1998 through a partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). It serves as the foundation for virtually all corporate and organizational greenhouse gas accounting worldwide. The Protocol provides detailed guidance, calculation tools, and standardized methodologies that enable consistent and credible measurement of GHG emissions. This standardization allows for meaningful comparisons between organizations and supports transparency in climate reporting. The Three Scopes Framework The GHG Protocol's most influential contribution is its classification of emissions into three scopes: Scope 1: Direct Emissions - Greenhouse gases released directly from sources owned or controlled by the organization, such as company vehicles, on-site fuel combustion, and industrial processes. Scope 2: Indirect Energy Emissions - Emissions from purchased electricity, heating, cooling, and steam consumed by the organization but produced elsewhere. Scope 3: Value Chain Emissions - All other indirect emissions occurring in the organization's value chain, including purchased goods and services, business travel, employee commuting, transportation and distribution, waste disposal, use of sold products, and investments. Typically represents the largest portion of total emissions. GHG Protocol Standards The Protocol comprises several interconnected standards: Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard - The foundational framework for measuring organizational emissions Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Standard - Detailed guidance for calculating value chain emissions across 15 categories Product Life Cycle Standard - Methods for assessing the carbon footprint of specific products and services Project Protocol - Framework for quantifying emission reductions from specific projects Policy and Action Standard - Guidance for governments measuring emissions from policies and programs Importance for Business Organizations use the GHG Protocol for multiple strategic purposes including regulatory compliance with emissions reporting requirements, setting credible reduction targets aligned with climate science, identifying opportunities for operational efficiency and cost savings, meeting investor and stakeholder expectations for climate disclosure, and benchmarking performance against industry peers. Major reporting frameworks and initiatives—including CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project), the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)—all reference or require use of the GHG Protocol, making it essential for corporate climate action. Implementation Best Practices Successful GHG Protocol implementation requires defining organizational boundaries clearly, collecting comprehensive activity data across all operations, applying appropriate emissions factors from reliable sources, documenting methodologies and assumptions thoroughly, conducting third-party verification for credibility, and reporting transparently including both achievements and challenges. Organizations should start with Scope 1 and 2 emissions before tackling the more complex Scope 3 categories, progressively improving data quality and coverage over time.

---
Source: Alectro Sustainability Glossary
URL: https://alectro.io/glossary/greenhouse-gas-protocol
Last Updated: 2025-11-12