ISO 14068 Carbon Neutrality Services
·Verify your carbon neutrality level
ISO 14068 is a globally recognized standard for greenhouse gas and climate change management and related activities. ISO 14068 builds on and replaces PAS 2060 (Carbon Neutrality), specifying principles, requirements and guidance for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality by quantifying, reducing and offsetting carbon footprint. PAS 2060 will be withdrawn 24 months after the publication of ISO 14068. ISO 14068 includes scope 1-3 emissions and leverages ISO 14064-1 (Quantifying and reporting GHG emissions and removals) as a required source for inclusion. It excludes renewable energy procurement from the scope of reduction and provides clear advice on avoiding double counting.
Standard Overview
ISO 14068 is a globally recognized standard for greenhouse gas and climate change management and related activities. ISO 14068 builds on and replaces PAS 2060 (Carbon Neutrality), specifying principles, requirements and guidance for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality by quantifying, reducing and offsetting carbon footprint. PAS 2060 will become invalid 24 months after the release of ISO 14068.
Relationship between ISO 14068-1 and other international standards
Relationship between ISO 14068-1 and other international standards
Other existing carbon-related standards focus on a certain aspect of carbon-related, some are for calculating footprints, some are for verifying carbon footprints, and some are for declaring carbon footprints. Only ISO 14068-1 is to achieve the ultimate goal of human carbon management-carbon neutrality.
This standard not only specifies the method of declaring carbon neutrality, but also specifies the method of achieving carbon neutrality.
About the main content of ISO 14068-1 standard
ISO 14068-1 standard will replace PAS 2060:2014. PAS 2060:2014 will become invalid at the end of 2025.
● The standard applies to the scope of the subject matter: including organizations (such as companies, local governments, financial institutions, etc.) and products (goods and services, buildings, activities, etc.). However, the standard does not apply to all types of territories (e.g., administrative regions, countries, provinces/states, cities).
● The standard follows the principle of the carbon neutrality management hierarchy: first, greenhouse gas emissions within the scope should be reduced, second, greenhouse gas removal within the scope should be strengthened, and finally, carbon footprint offsetting should be carried out. The standard also requires continuous improvement and gradual reduction of carbon offsets.
Methodological framework specified by the standard
Methodological framework specified by the standard
The standard follows the principle of the carbon neutrality management hierarchy: first, greenhouse gas emissions within the scope should be reduced, second, greenhouse gas removal within the scope should be strengthened, and finally, carbon footprint offsetting should be carried out. The standard also requires continuous improvement and gradual reduction of carbon offsets.
The ISO 14068-1 standard requires the development of a carbon neutrality roadmap to determine the organization's carbon neutrality ambitions, which should include short-term and long-term goals. The roadmap should be based on widely accepted science-based routes, such as those developed by the IPCC, IEA, ACT and SBTi.
The ISO 14068-1 standard requires the development of a carbon neutrality management plan to achieve a carbon neutrality roadmap.
01 The standard requires the top management of the enterprise to participate in carbon neutrality management and strengthen the close integration of carbon neutrality implementation with the operation of the organization. The top management is required to commit to:
● Establish a carbon neutrality statement;
● Specify a carbon neutrality roadmap framework;
● Ensure that the enterprise's strategic direction is compatible with carbon neutrality;
● Determine the scope and boundaries of carbon neutrality;
● Specify carbon neutrality responsibilities;
● Ensure that carbon neutrality management is integrated into the management and operation processes at all levels of the enterprise;
● Ensure that carbon neutrality resources are fully invested;
● Ensure continuous improvement of carbon neutrality.
02 In terms of selecting the subject matter and its boundaries, the requirements of ISO 14068-1 are similar to the current carbon emission quantification and monitoring mechanisms, such as ISO 14064, ISO 14067.
03 In terms of quantifying GHG emissions and removals, it is also similar to the requirements of current international standards, including ISO 14064, ISO 14067.
04 The standard requires the development of a carbon neutrality management plan, which adopts the PDCA approach:
● In this regard, it has similar requirements to PAS 2060:2014.
● Requires the evaluation of the ambition level of the carbon neutrality management plan.
● Requires the establishment of goals and timetables.
● Requires the specification of methods for quantifying carbon footprints and activities to achieve emission reduction and carbon sink enhancement;
● Requires the specification of the types of carbon credits used for offsetting;
● Requires sufficient resource input;
● Requires the evaluation of the effectiveness of the management plan.
● Requires corrective measures to ensure the achievement of goals.
● Requires continuous improvement.
05 In terms of GHG emission reduction and carbon sink enhancement:
● Requires the full reflection of the hierarchical approach to carbon neutrality, that is, emission reduction is prioritized, followed by carbon sink enhancement.
● Emission reduction can be total or intensity. However, even if the intensity is reduced, it is necessary to consider how to achieve total emission reduction in the long term and ensure that the emission reduction achieves the specified goals.
● It is stipulated that the carbon sink enhancement target should be achieved, and when the carbon sink enhancement reversal occurs, it should be recalculated as carbon emissions.
06 In terms of carbon footprint offset:
● Emphasize that offset must be a carbon neutrality measure that can only be taken after emission reduction and carbon sink enhancement.
● Specify the standards that carbon credits that can be used for offset should meet, and clearly stipulate that residual carbon footprint can only be offset by carbon credits based on carbon removal.
● Clearly stipulate that emission reduction and carbon sink enhancement that can only be achieved in the future cannot be used for offset.
● It also clearly stipulates the standards for carbon credit schemes that meet the requirements, and stipulates that carbon credits can only come from carbon credit schemes that meet these standards.
07 The standard requires the publication of a carbon neutrality report in each reporting period and specifies the detailed information that the report should include.
08 The standard requires that the carbon neutrality statement should be verified according to ISO 14064-3 or equivalent verification standards.
The standard puts forward a large number of requirements for documented information. There are detailed provisions in carbon neutrality commitments, subject and boundary selection, GHG emission and removal quantification, carbon neutrality plan, implementation of GHG emission reduction and carbon sink enhancement, carbon footprint offset, carbon footprint reporting and carbon footprint statement.
The standard also requires that when implementing carbon neutrality, attention should be paid to and negative impacts on the environment and society should be avoided, reflecting the broad vision of the standard setters in comprehensive environmental protection and social responsibility.
Carbon neutrality and net zero emissions
The standard clarifies the similarities and differences between "carbon neutrality" and "net zero emissions", pointing out that in the sub-global scope, when used for organizations, there is a huge difference between "carbon neutrality" and "net zero emissions". For organizations, net zero greenhouse gas emissions are generally considered to be a situation where emissions are reduced to only residual emissions, and only removal credits are used to offset. According to this definition, many parks and factories that claim to be net zero are actually not in compliance.
Of course, ISO 14068-1 does not make requirements and recommendations for "net zero emissions", but mainly targets "carbon neutrality".
In addition, the standard has significantly improved several aspects of the original PAS 2060-2014 version that were confusing or difficult to grasp, including: ISO 14068-1 does not allow for carbon neutrality "commitment" statements, only statements after carbon neutrality is achieved; ISO 14068-1 does not have a special period of "historical period", etc.
In summary, ISO 14068-1 is a relatively complete and more systematic carbon-related international standard, an organic combination of traditional management systems and advanced carbon management concepts, and is worthy of careful study and application in practice by all carbon practitioners. I believe that this standard will be widely promoted and applied worldwide.
Benefits of implementing ISO 14068 for carbon neutrality
☑ Plan and achieve GHG and climate management goals
☑ Clearly verify your carbon neutrality level and its maintenance
☑ All questions in the relevant standards for carbon neutrality and net zero elimination
☑ Support your carbon neutrality/net zero journey
☑ Based on existing international standards such as ISO 14064-1, ISO 14064-3 and ISO 14067, data application and recognition are more extensive