WHAT DRIVES US

Building a Global Community of GHG Experts

The Greenhouse Gas Management Institute (GHGMI) was founded in response to the urgent need for qualified professionals dedicated to actively reversing climate change. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting and management require a competent and ethical community of experts responsible for the measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) of GHG emissions, as well as designing and implementing climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. To support this growing community, GHGMI is committed to leading the professionalization of GHG management and serving as a knowledge leader in the field. We believe this professionalization is essential to effectively addressing climate change.

Our Mission

Enabling meaningful climate action by governments, corporations, and organizations by growing and supporting a global community of experts and institutions with the highest standards of professional practice in measuring, reporting, verifying, accounting for, and managing greenhouse gas emissions.

Our Vision

An ever-improving professional community composed of globally recognized, highly competent, and ethical professionals that is committed to providing the foundation and leadership for climate change management.

Our Values

Our commitment to addressing climate change is grounded in a comprehensive set of values that guide our work and relationships. They reflect our commitment to both technical excellence and social responsibility, ensuring that our efforts contribute to adequate and equitable climate action. Review our complete set of values in the sidebar.

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We Value

continuous learning, collaboration, accessibility, and inclusion to facilitate climate action and foster individual potential and leadership.

We Strive

to address climate change with a just, culturally informed, and human-oriented approach.

We Support

the realization of global human rights, dismantling systemic inequality, and combating discrimination.

We Foster

technical excellence, professional integrity, and transparency to ensure our work meets the highest standards.

PEOPLE & PLANET

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice & Anti-racism

We firmly believe in embracing diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), justice, and anti-racism as core values. Our commitment to addressing climate change acknowledges the intrinsic value of the environment and prioritizes an approach that is human-oriented, just, and culturally informed. Thus, we strive to build a community of experts and institutions that is broadly inclusive, supporting individuals from communities around the world by providing the technical and foundational skills to inform policy, contribute to technical decision-making, and evaluate the effectiveness of climate solutions.

Read Our Statement

MISSION IN MOTION

Managing Our Own GHG Emissions

At GHGMI, we are committed to upholding the same high standards of GHG measurement and transparency that we promote globally. As part of this commitment, we conduct an organizational GHG inventory to assess and manage our own emissions.

By applying the same rigorous methodologies we teach—aligned with internationally recognized standards—we ensure that our operations reflect our mission. This internal inventory allows us to track progress, identify opportunities for emissions reductions, and demonstrate leadership through credible climate action.

GHGMI’s 2019 Organizational GHG Emissions Inventory Report

Our History

1990

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes first assessment report

1992

Earth Summit, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiated

1994

The UNFCCC entered into force

1995

IPCC publishes second assessment report

1997

Kyoto Protocol negotiated

2001

IPCC publishes third assessment report

2001

World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) publishes initial GHG Protocol corporate accounting standard

2002

E-learning training program launched by the UNFCCC for GHG inventory compliance expert review teams, developed and taught by future staff of GHG Management Institute

2004

Experts at ClimateCHECK develop training courses for GHG verification and GHG accounting based on ISO 14064 and GHG Protocol

2005

Kyoto Protocol entered into force

2005

WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol for Project Accounting published

2006

GHG Experts Network launched with funding by UNDP as a precursor to the GHG Management Institute

2006

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) begins operation

Early 2007

The leaders of ClimateCHECK, the GHG Experts Network, and GoVida e-Learning begin discussions on formation of a global training and professional institute for GHG experts. Earth Council Geneva with support the Swiss Development Cooperation Agency contributes to help finance pilot course.

2007 – 2011

GHG Management Institute organizes an advisory board to provide strategic guidance and serve as a thoughtful sounding board for the Institute during the initial period following the launch of the Institute

2007

IPCC publishes fourth assessment report

June 2007

GHG Management Institute incorporated as a nonprofit organization

November 2007

GHG Management Institute (GHGMI) publicly launched!

November 2007

Carbon Disclosure Project signs partnership agreement with GHGMI

November 2007

Offset Quality Initiative (OQI) launched with the GHG Management Institute as a founding member

December 2007

World Resources Institute signs partnership agreement with GHGMI

Summer 2008

GHGMI selected by Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to develop accreditation system and mandatory training program for RGGI verifiers

October 2008

GHGMI partners with Point Carbon to develop global online training program on carbon markets

November 2008

GHGMI partners with World Bank to develop global training program on CDM and Joint Implementation (JI)

November 2008

The UN’s Joint Implementation programme selects the GHGMI to develop training for verifier accreditation panels

January 2009

RGGI cap-and-trade program begins

February 2009

GHGMI and Sequence Staffing release 2009 Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change Workforce Needs Assessment Survey Report

March 2009

GHGMI trains Standards Council of Canada assessors on ISO 14064 and 14065

Fall 2009

GHGMI partners with Harvard University Extension School to teach graduate course in sustainability, GHG management, and accounting

November 2009

GHGMI launches new global membership program and publishes first biennial report

2010

GHGMI launches Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Management, the leading peer-reviewed scholarly journal for researchers and professionals (published by Taylor & Francis)

November 2010

GHGMI publishes 2009 base year GHG emissions inventory report

2011

GHGMI publishes its first emissions inventory, with emissions less than half that of other peer organizations, and showing the effectiveness of its virtual organization model

2012

GHGMI launches the world’s first and only professional certification for GHG practitioners—the EP(GHG)—accredited to ISO standards in partnership with Environmental Careers Organization of Canada

2013

GHGMI opens offices in Europe and Asia

2014

A groundbreaking course series on the IPCC Guidelines is launched providing the first globally accessible, deeply rigorous, and comprehensive training resource on GHG measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) methodologies

2015

The GHGMM journal merges with Carbon Management journal to form a combined larger scholarly peer-reviewed publication

2016

The Carbon Institute is launched as an initiative of GHGMI, focused on government-academic partnerships in terrestrial carbon accounting education, and is awarded a €2M grant from the German government

2016

The Paris Agreement enters into force. GHGMI devotes expanded efforts to engage in country-driven capacity building initiatives.

2016

GHGMI convenes and organizes the Coalition on Paris Agreement Capacity Building. The Coalition publishes a globally circulated strategy document to accelerate and coordinate effort to help 196 countries strengthen their institutional capacity and workforce.

2017

GHGMI continues to expand its academic partnerships. An accredited Graduate Certificate in GHG Management from The George Washington University is launched.

2017

The Carbon Institute wins the Mulago conservation fellowship for social entrepreneurs

2018

GHGMI launches, jointly with the UNFCCC secretariat, the Caribbean Cooperative MRV Hub with a €3M grant from the German government and additional cofinancing from UNDP/UNEP Global Support Programme. GHGMI also begins implementing the first approved project under the GEF Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) in Kenya.

2018

GHGMI launches new non-profit organization office in Italy, based in Rome

2019

In a joint activity with the UNFCCC, GHGMI delivers its single largest online cohort of learners to-date through its Education Program, training 1,000 developing country national experts from around the world in the IPCC Guidelines

2020

GHGMI now has alumni in 187 countries (8 short of every country in the world) and over 11,500 members. GHGMI and Stockholm Environment Institute jointly launch groundbreaking online guide on purchasing high-quality carbon offset credits and broader carbon management strategies for organizations at www.offsetguide.org.

February 2023

GHGMI publishes 2019 GHG emissions inventory report

Our Work

National

Enhancing national capacity for measuring, reporting, and verifying GHG emissions.

Subnational

Partnering with subnational governments, GHGMI strengthens GHG measurement, reporting, and verification systems through tailored guidance, training, and inventory development support.

Companies

GHGMI works alongside companies to navigate the complexities of climate action and GHG accounting.

Advisory Services

GHGMI provides expert advisory services to support governments, organizations, and institutions in tackling the complexities of GHG measurement, reporting, and verification.

Training

Rigorous e-learning courses that meet the needs of individuals and organizations working on all aspects of climate change.

WHAT DRIVES US

Building a Global Community of GHG Experts

Our Mission

Our Vision

Our Values

We Value

We Strive

We Support

We Foster

PEOPLE & PLANET

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice & Anti-racism

MISSION IN MOTION

Managing Our Own GHG Emissions

Our History

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) publishes first assessment report

Earth Summit, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiated

The UNFCCC entered into force

IPCC publishes second assessment report

Kyoto Protocol negotiated

IPCC publishes third assessment report

World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) publishes initial GHG Protocol corporate accounting standard

E-learning training program launched by the UNFCCC for GHG inventory compliance expert review teams, developed and taught by future staff of GHG Management Institute

Experts at ClimateCHECK develop training courses for GHG verification and GHG accounting based on ISO 14064 and GHG Protocol

Kyoto Protocol entered into force

WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol for Project Accounting published

GHG Experts Network launched with funding by UNDP as a precursor to the GHG Management Institute

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) begins operation

The leaders of ClimateCHECK, the GHG Experts Network, and GoVida e-Learning begin discussions on formation of a global training and professional institute for GHG experts. Earth Council Geneva with support the Swiss Development Cooperation Agency contributes to help finance pilot course.

GHG Management Institute organizes an advisory board to provide strategic guidance and serve as a thoughtful sounding board for the Institute during the initial period following the launch of the Institute

IPCC publishes fourth assessment report

GHG Management Institute incorporated as a nonprofit organization

GHG Management Institute (GHGMI) publicly launched!

Carbon Disclosure Project signs partnership agreement with GHGMI

Offset Quality Initiative (OQI) launched with the GHG Management Institute as a founding member

World Resources Institute signs partnership agreement with GHGMI

GHGMI selected by Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to develop accreditation system and mandatory training program for RGGI verifiers

GHGMI partners with Point Carbon to develop global online training program on carbon markets

GHGMI partners with World Bank to develop global training program on CDM and Joint Implementation (JI)

The UN’s Joint Implementation programme selects the GHGMI to develop training for verifier accreditation panels

RGGI cap-and-trade program begins

GHGMI and Sequence Staffing release 2009 Greenhouse Gas and Climate Change Workforce Needs Assessment Survey Report

GHGMI trains Standards Council of Canada assessors on ISO 14064 and 14065

GHGMI partners with Harvard University Extension School to teach graduate course in sustainability, GHG management, and accounting

GHGMI launches new global membership program and publishes first biennial report

GHGMI launches Greenhouse Gas Measurement and Management, the leading peer-reviewed scholarly journal for researchers and professionals (published by Taylor & Francis)

GHGMI publishes 2009 base year GHG emissions inventory report

GHGMI publishes its first emissions inventory, with emissions less than half that of other peer organizations, and showing the effectiveness of its virtual organization model

GHGMI launches the world’s first and only professional certification for GHG practitioners—the EP(GHG)—accredited to ISO standards in partnership with Environmental Careers Organization of Canada

GHGMI opens offices in Europe and Asia

A groundbreaking course series on the IPCC Guidelines is launched providing the first globally accessible, deeply rigorous, and comprehensive training resource on GHG measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) methodologies

The GHGMM journal merges with Carbon Management journal to form a combined larger scholarly peer-reviewed publication

The Carbon Institute is launched as an initiative of GHGMI, focused on government-academic partnerships in terrestrial carbon accounting education, and is awarded a €2M grant from the German government

The Paris Agreement enters into force. GHGMI devotes expanded efforts to engage in country-driven capacity building initiatives.

GHGMI convenes and organizes the Coalition on Paris Agreement Capacity Building. The Coalition publishes a globally circulated strategy document to accelerate and coordinate effort to help 196 countries strengthen their institutional capacity and workforce.

GHGMI continues to expand its academic partnerships. An accredited Graduate Certificate in GHG Management from The George Washington University is launched.

The Carbon Institute wins the Mulago conservation fellowship for social entrepreneurs

GHGMI launches new non-profit organization office in Italy, based in Rome

In a joint activity with the UNFCCC, GHGMI delivers its single largest online cohort of learners to-date through its Education Program, training 1,000 developing country national experts from around the world in the IPCC Guidelines

GHGMI publishes 2019 GHG emissions inventory report

Our Work

Who We Work With