The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) have announced a landmark partnership to harmonise their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards. The collaboration marks a major step towards a single, unified global framework for GHG accounting and reporting — simplifying carbon measurement and accelerating progress towards decarbonisation.
Addressing Fragmentation in Carbon Standards
Until now, GHG standards have been developed separately, with differing scopes, methodologies and verification guidance. This has led to confusion and inconsistency across industries and regions. The new ISO–GHG Protocol partnership directly addresses this challenge, combining the strengths of both frameworks into a coherent, co-branded suite of international standards.
What the Partnership Includes
Under the agreement, ISO and GHG Protocol will:
- Harmonise existing standards, including ISO’s 1406X family and GHG Protocol’s Corporate, Scope 2 and Scope 3 Standards.
- Develop new joint standards, such as a unified product carbon footprint standard, to meet growing demand for granular emissions data across value chains.
- Create a shared platform for future co-development, covering corporate, product and project-level accounting.
“This partnership is a timely and critical step toward greater climate accountability. A unified set of standards for GHG emissions reporting will help raise ambition, enable credible net-zero pathways, and build trust across borders. As countries prepare for COP30, clarity and consistency in carbon accounting are essential to accelerating progress on the Paris Agreement goals,” – Dan Ioschpe, COP30 High-Level Champion
Benefits for Business, Policy and Investment
The harmonised standards will establish a common global language for emissions accounting, benefiting companies, investors, auditors and policymakers by:
- Increasing clarity and comparability of carbon data.
- Reducing duplication and reporting burdens.
- Providing greater confidence in emissions disclosures and verification processes.
The collaboration also aligns with international efforts to harmonise sustainability reporting, including the ISSB’s global baseline for climate-related disclosures and calls for standardisation from the B7 business community.
ISO Secretary-General Sergio Mujica said that the new standards “will ensure that everyone involved in carbon accounting all over the world will be using the same reporting requirements and measurements, allowing for the transparent, verifiable benchmarking of progress.”
Ensuring Rigour and Transparency
Both organisations emphasise that the harmonised standards will maintain the highest levels of scientific rigour and transparency, ensuring they remain robust and trusted by users worldwide. Environmental experts have also underscored the need for the process to be inclusive, transparent and publicly accessible to maintain credibility and impact.
How Can True Solutions help?
Complete a Carbon Footprint Assessment
We can support with data collation and analysis to report on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions using recognised frameworks like the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064; delivering an accurate and consistent overview of your total GHG impact.
Provide Third-Party Verification
We can provide independent third-party verification of your GHG footprint using recognised frameworks like the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064 so you and your stakeholders have a trusted, externally verified footprint.
Generate a Carbon Reduction Plan
We have experience developing actionable Carbon Reduction Plans, in line with key reporting frameworks (such as PPN 006 and PPN 06/21). We can support with your Net
Zero strategy to manage carbon offsetting and renewable energy certifications, and help drive Scope 3 transparency across your supply chain.
Looking Ahead
Experts from ISO and GHG Protocol will now begin an integrated technical process to develop the harmonised standards. While no formal timeline has been announced, the joint framework is expected to become a cornerstone for consistent, science-based decarbonisation across industries and regions.
We will keep you up to date on the ISO-GHG partnership progression as more information is published.