Do we need a paradigm shift on offsetting? Compensation to contributions
The problem of compensatory net zero At the moment, “net zero” is about as popular a fad as we have ever seen in the climate space.[1] Before that there was …
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Myth busting – Are corporate Scope 3 emissions far greater than Scopes 1 or 2?
Are corporate Scope 3 emissions far greater than Scopes 1 or 2? The short answer is that the question is meaningless because the Scope 3 does not measure anything that …
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What is GHG Accounting? Market-based mistake
Installment N.4 Preface This installment extends the discussion from installment N.3 on emissions allocation in GHG inventories. Unfortunately, you will need to read the prior installments in this “What is …
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E-liabilities: a fresh or fantasy proposal?
What do you get by mashing together ideas from corporate cost accounting with dreams of a universal carbon pricing mechanism and try to apply it through sustainability disclosures of corporate …
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What is Greenhouse Gas Accounting? Turning Away from LCA
Installment N. -1 Preface This installment can be considered equivalent to a movie prequel that provides the “backstory” for the other installments in the “What is GHG Accounting?” series. …
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What is GHG Accounting? Further Thoughts on Responsibility & Causation
Installment N.3 bis Preface This installment supplements the previous installment on emissions allocation. Here I address two conceptual hurdles that you may be struggling to jump over—responsibility and causation. Understanding …
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What is Greenhouse Gas Accounting? Allocation rules
Installment N.3 Preface If you have not yet read the previous installments Number 1 and Number 2 in this series, I encourage you to do so before proceeding. You can …
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Can states meet their climate goals without a reliable GHG inventory?
The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment report calls for net zero CO2 emissions by early 2050s to limit warming to 1.5oC. As a result, many U.S. states …
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Exploring life-cycle assessment resources: Help for your Scope 3 GHG accounting
The Revised Edition of the GHG Protocol was published[1] in 2004 (“Corporate Standard”) and it continues to be the foundation of corporate GHG accounting today. The Corporate Standard defines Scope 3 …
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What is Greenhouse Gas Accounting? Fitting to Purposes
Installment N.2 This post is the second installment in a series on conceptual issues in greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting—issues that are at the root of the current dysfunction in corporate …
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