March 2023
Carbon accounting 2.0
Feasibility study within SaaS operators
Humanity's liveable future depends on limiting global heating, through rapid reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.
With precious time running out to decarbonise human activity at multiple interdependent levels, pressure is increasing upon companies to quantify the environmental impact of their activities. Foundational to this global task are the corporate carbon accountants responsible for collecting and calculating emissions data.
Carbon accounting (or GHG accounting) is the process by which organisations quantify their greenhouse gas emissions in order to understand and estimate their climate impact. The carbon accounting industry is growing every day, but a number of critical issues impede its capacity to deliver the kind of accurate, joined-up information that can properly support effective high-level decarbonisation policies.
Given the unprecedented global importance of the current challenge, the only carbon accounting system fit for purpose will be one of radically greater accuracy and interoperability: Carbon accounting 2.0.
Carbon accounting vendors who align themselves with this next attractor are those with the best chance of thriving as the industry's complex needs necessitate rapid innovation.
In collaboration with the University of Sheffield, we invited seven carbon accounting platforms to explore standardisation, third-party verification and interoperability, and how a SaaS model can deliver a future carbon accounting system.
