By J Robert Gibson
10 March 2023

This paper responds to the GHG Protocol public consultation. It recommends five amendments to the Protocol to enable Market Mechanisms which incentivise making Products with Net Zero carbon emissions. (See our ‘Carbon Added Cost’ and Carbon Net Zero Viability paper.)

Net Zero Products (both goods and services) lead to Net Zero companies (and other Non-State Actors (NSAs)) and hence to Global Net Zero.

The five amendments are:

I.Reclassify emissions embodied in specified carbon intense Products from Scope 3 to Scope 2

II.Exclude from Scope 3 upstream and downstream emissions, including those occurring when End Products are used, if these have been offset by buying Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Credits.
NB: NSAs reporting this way must have reasonable, assurable grounds to believe the CDR Credits have been purchased.

III.Define what is an ‘End Product’ used by a consumer as opposed to being an ‘Intermediate Product’ within a Supply Chain or being part of an End Product.

IV.For specified Products require Environment Product Declarations giving both the gross carbon content and the net carbon content after CDR Credits have been purchased.

V.The GHG Protocol provide a CDR forward cost curve in ‘chained’ US$ of a recent calendar year.