GHG protocol calculation tools and guidance
The GHG Protocol’s calculation tools and guidance details Excel‑based, cross‑sector, sector‑specific, and country‑specific tools, including those for cities and countries. Each tool includes step‑by‑step guidance and emission factors to support accurate GHG inventory development in line with the Protocol’s standards
Please login or join for free to read more.
OVERVIEW
The calculation tools and guidance suite, maintained by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (a collaboration between the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development), enables organisations, cities, and national governments to compile robust greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories.
Tools are categorised as:
-
Cross-sector tools: Applicable across industries for standard emission sources such as electricity, transport, and stationary combustion.
-
Country-specific tools: Customised for individual developing countries, incorporating localised emission factors and context-specific guidance.
-
Sector-specific tools: Designed for particular sectors (e.g. cement, pulp and paper, refrigeration), though adaptable in similar contexts.
-
Tools for countries and cities: Support national or city-level tracking of climate progress, goal setting, and policy impact evaluation.
Each tool is delivered as a spreadsheet with an accompanying PDF that provides step-by-step guidance on data collection, emission factor selection, and calculation methods aligned with scope 1, 2, and 3 definitions. The tools reflect best-practice methodologies validated by industry experts.
This suite has broad application: businesses across sectors, city administrations, and national governments can use one or more tools depending on their needs.
For finance professionals, these tools offer direct benefits:
-
They support precise quantification of emissions, feeding into climate-related financial disclosures, risk assessment, scenario modelling, and the structuring of sustainable finance products. Outputs can align with disclosure frameworks such as TCFD, CDP, ISSB, and ESRS.
-
The tools provide standardised, transparent methodologies which help ensure consistency and credibility in emissions reporting. This is particularly useful in verifying data during assurance or audit processes.
-
Finance professionals act as the bridge between technical emissions data and investor-grade disclosures. Familiarity with these tools enables meaningful interpretation of emission inventories and supports strategic reporting and target setting.
The calculation tools and guidance provides finance professionals with structured, Excel-based instruments grounded in the GHG Protocol methodology. It enables accurate emissions estimation for operational and value-chain impacts, supports compliance with leading disclosure standards, and facilitates risk analysis and sustainability strategy development.