What it is…

Background

With likely Government efforts to introduce regulations on mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by LSE-quoted companies in April 2013.  This reporting of GHG emissions aims to provide transparent GHG reporting such that listed companies are seen to be managing their carbon liabilities.

How can we help our clients achieve compliance with Mandatory GHG Reporting

1. Advise clients on how to robustly report their GHG performance and we can further help with carbon risk mitigation by reviewing the lease arrangements of assets to proactively reduce clients’ carbon exposure by re-classifying GHG emissions from Scope 1 to Scope 3 – this will apply to buildings, vehicles, and all tangible asset classes.
2. (a) We can either build your GHG inventory or (b) educate your in-house people to robustly do this and thus save you from annual payouts to consultancies

Why is this important?

1. Government requirement soon to be enacted – thus we must measure and reduce emissions.
2. GHG reporting is now a board room issue as many investors are concerned about carbon risks associated with large corporations, with pension trustees having a duty to consider all financially material risks and exposures of their long-term funds performance.

The only practical solution to prepare our businesses and sectors from these real risks is to robustly quantify existing portfolio and industry emissions.  This is best done and achieves global acceptance by using the internationally recognised Greenhouse Gas Protocol and its allied international Standard ISO 14064 and conformance to the Mandatory requirements – which owe much of their construction to GHGP/ISO. In order to manage and reduce carbon exposures Investment managers need to be aware and understand to allow them apply the ISO 14064-1 GHG Standard and the WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol for Corporate Accounting to their portfolios.  This will allow managers to develop an understanding of the importance of the design and development of verifiable GHG inventories systems and procedures.  This knowledge allows managers to delegate to their staffs and allow GHG practitioners to be able to apply tools, methods and other good practice guidance in the WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol for Corporate Accounting and the requirements of the ISO 14064-1 GHG Standard for the development of inventory requirements. Responsibility for GHG emissions may also be uncertain and both the WBCSD/WRI GHG Protocol for Corporate Accounting and the ISO 14064-1 GHG Standard allow for reporting to be allocated appropriately either using the Control Share approach or the Equity share consolidation methods. Using the Control Share Consolidation approach, the organization accounts for all quantified GHG emissions from facilities over which it has financial or operational control. The alternative approach uses Equity share, where the organization accounts for all quantified GHG emissions from respective facilities in which it has equity.