GHG Validation & Verification
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat, resulting in the greenhouse effect. This effect is crucial for life on Earth, as it keeps the planet’s surface warmer than it would be without these gases. The most important GHGs are Water vapor, Carbon dioxide, Methane, Nitrous oxide, and Ozone. These gases have a profound effect on the energy budget of the Earth system. Concentrations of GHGs have varied substantially during Earth’s history, driving substantial climate changes. Human activities, especially fossil-fuel combustion since the Industrial Revolution, have led to steady increases in atmospheric concentrations of various GHGs, contributing to global warming.
Validation is a process that evaluates a GHG project’s design. It is an independent assessment of the project by a third party, providing assurance that the project has a solid foundation and is capable of delivering the GHG reductions it aims to achieve.
Verification is a process that occurs after the project has been implemented. A third-party verifier assesses whether the project’s GHG assertions are complete, accurate, consistent, transparent, and in accordance with agreed-upon standards and methodologies. Verification provides assurance about the reliability and credibility of the reported GHG emissions reductions.
Both validation and verification should be conducted by competent bodies that are free from bias and conflict of interest. The processes should be transparent, systematic, evidence-based, and documented to ensure the highest level of credibility. These processes are crucial in GHG emissions management as they provide confidence to all stakeholders that the GHG emissions reductions claimed by a project are real and credible.