GHG Validation & Verification

GHG Validation & Verification
Verification and Validation of Organization-Level GHG Inventories (ISO 14064-1) ATS Ltd. shall verify and validate the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals at the organizational level, aligned with ISO 14064-1.

1. Scope and Boundaries

Organizational Boundaries: ATS Ltd. shall define the GHG inventory from all pertinent sources of emissions and carbon absorption points. This can follow the equity share approach or control approach (financial or operational control).

Operational Boundaries: ATS Ltd. shall identify emissions as Scope 1 (direct emissions), Scope 2 (indirect emissions from energy), and Scope 3 (other indirect emissions such as supply chain).

2. Validation Process (Future Claims)
Objective: ATS Ltd. shall confirm the plausibility of GHG assertions for intended future use (e.g., carbon neutrality plans).
Steps:

  1. Pre-Engagement: Clients shall submit a GHG claim for validation.
  2. Planning: ATS Ltd. shall define materiality thresholds and assurance levels; develop a validation plan.
  3. Evidence Gathering: ATS Ltd. shall review projected data sources and conduct site visits or remote audits.
  4. Review and Decision: Independent technical review by ATS Ltd.’s accredited experts.
  5. Reporting: ATS Ltd. shall publish validation reports with scope, methodologies, and limitations.

3. Verification Process (Historical Data)
Objective: ATS Ltd. shall confirm the accuracy of reported GHG emissions, reductions, or removals.
Steps:

  1. Pre-Engagement: Clients shall submit historical GHG data.
  2.  Planning: ATS Ltd. shall define sampling strategies and identify critical data points.
  3. Evidence Gathering: ATS Ltd. shall audit data collection systems and cross-check against methodologies.
  4. Review and Decision: ATS Ltd. shall evaluate data accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
  5. Surveillance: ATS Ltd. shall conduct annual audits for ongoing compliance.

4. Key Requirements for Verification and Validation
Quantification and Reporting: ATS Ltd. shall ensure organizations quantify and report GHG emissions and removals accurately, ensuring transparency and consistency.
Documentation: ATS Ltd. shall maintain clear and comprehensive documentation of GHG data, methodologies, and assumptions.
Materiality: ATS Ltd. shall define materiality thresholds to determine the significance of discrepancies in GHG data.
Assurance Levels: ATS Ltd. shall determine the level of assurance (reasonable or limited) required for the validation/verification process.

5. Competence Requirements
Auditors and Technical Experts: ATS Ltd. shall ensure personnel hold valid GHG Lead Auditor certifications and demonstrate a minimum of 3 years of experience in GHG accounting, validation, or verification.
Continuous Training: ATS Ltd. shall provide regular updates on ISO standards, GHG Protocol, and IPCC Guidelines.

6. Transparency and Confidentiality
Public Documentation: ATS Ltd. shall ensure scheme rules, validation/verification procedures, and sector-specific annexes are publicly accessible.
Record Retention: ATS Ltd. shall retain all records, including validation/verification statements, audit reports, and corrective actions, for 10 years.
Confidentiality: ATS Ltd. shall not disclose client-specific data without written consent, except for legal obligations or accreditation body requests.

This framework ensures that GHG assertions verified and validated by ATS Ltd. are credible, transparent, and aligned with international standards, supporting global climate action and regulatory compliance.

Verification of Project-Level GHG Reductions/Removals (ISO 14064-2)
ATS Ltd. shall verify the quantification, monitoring, and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and removals at the project level, aligned with ISO 14064-2.
1. Scope and Boundaries
Project Boundaries: ATS Ltd. shall define the GHG project boundaries, including all relevant sources, sinks, and reservoirs of GHGs affected by the project.
Baseline Scenario: ATS Ltd. shall establish a baseline scenario representing the conditions that would have occurred in the absence of the project.

2. Verification Process
• Objective: ATS Ltd. shall confirm the accuracy of reported GHG emission reductions or removals resulting from the project.
Steps:

  1. Pre-Engagement: Clients shall submit project documentation, including the project design document (PDD) and baseline scenario.
  2. Planning: ATS Ltd. shall define materiality thresholds and assurance levels; develop a verification plan.
  3. Evidence Gathering: ATS Ltd. shall review data sources, conduct site visits or remote audits, and assess monitoring systems.
  4. Review and Decision: ATS Ltd. shall evaluate data accuracy, completeness, and consistency against the baseline scenario.
  5. Reporting: ATS Ltd. shall issue a verification statement confirming the GHG reductions or removals.

3. Key Requirements for Verification
Quantification and Monitoring: ATS Ltd. shall ensure projects quantify and monitor GHG emissions and removals accurately, following ISO 14064-2 guidelines.

Documentation: ATS Ltd. shall maintain clear and comprehensive documentation of GHG data, methodologies, and assumptions.
Materiality: ATS Ltd. shall define materiality thresholds to determine the significance of discrepancies in GHG data.
Assurance Levels: ATS Ltd. shall determine the level of assurance (reasonable or limited) required for the verification process.

4. Competence Requirements
Auditors and Technical Experts: ATS Ltd. shall ensure personnel hold valid GHG Lead Auditor certifications and demonstrate a minimum of 3 years of experience in GHG accounting, validation, or verification.
Continuous Training: ATS Ltd. shall provide regular updates on ISO standards, GHG Protocol, and IPCC Guidelines.

5. Transparency and Confidentiality
Public Documentation: ATS Ltd. shall ensure scheme rules, verification procedures, and sector-specific annexes are publicly accessible.
Record Retention: ATS Ltd. shall retain all records, including verification statements, audit reports, and corrective actions, for 10 years.
Confidentiality: ATS Ltd. shall not disclose client-specific data without written consent, except for legal obligations or accreditation body requests.

This framework ensures that GHG reductions and removals verified by ATS Ltd. are credible, transparent, and aligned with international standards, supporting global climate action and regulatory compliance.

Quantification and Verification of Product Carbon Footprints (ISO 14067)
ATS Ltd. shall quantify and verify the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with products, following ISO 14067.
1. Scope and Boundaries
Product Boundaries: ATS Ltd. shall define the boundaries for the carbon footprint of a product (CFP), including all relevant stages of the product life cycle from raw material acquisition to disposal.
Functional Unit: ATS Ltd. shall establish a functional unit to provide a reference for quantifying the GHG emissions of the product.

2. Quantification Process
Objective: ATS Ltd. shall quantify the GHG emissions associated with the product throughout its life cycle.
Steps:

  1. Goal and Scope Definition: Clients shall define the goal and scope of the CFP study, including the product system boundaries and functional unit.
  2. Life Cycle Inventory (LCI): ATS Ltd. shall collect data on inputs and outputs for each stage of the product life cycle.
  3. Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA): ATS Ltd. shall evaluate the potential environmental impacts associated with the GHG emissions.
  4. Interpretation: ATS Ltd. shall interpret the results to identify significant GHG emission sources and opportunities for improvement.

3. Verification Process
Objective: ATS Ltd. shall confirm the accuracy and reliability of the quantified GHG emissions associated with the product.
Steps:

  1. Pre-Engagement: Clients shall submit CFP documentation, including the LCI and LCIA results.
  2. Planning: ATS Ltd. shall define materiality thresholds and assurance levels; develop a verification plan.
  3. Evidence Gathering: ATS Ltd. shall review data sources, conduct site visits or remote audits, and assess data collection systems.
  4. Review and Decision: ATS Ltd. shall evaluate data accuracy, completeness, and consistency.
  5. Reporting: ATS Ltd. shall issue a verification statement confirming the quantified GHG emissions.

4. Key Requirements for Quantification and Verification
Quantification and Reporting: ATS Ltd. shall ensure products’ GHG emissions are quantified and reported accurately, following ISO 14067 guidelines.
Documentation: ATS Ltd. shall maintain clear and comprehensive documentation of GHG data, methodologies, and assumptions.
Materiality: ATS Ltd. shall define materiality thresholds to determine the significance of discrepancies in GHG data.
Assurance Levels: ATS Ltd. shall determine the level of assurance (reasonable or limited) required for the verification process.

5. Competence Requirements
Auditors and Technical Experts: ATS Ltd. shall ensure personnel hold valid GHG Lead Auditor certifications and demonstrate a minimum of 3 years of experience in GHG accounting, validation, or verification.
Continuous Training: ATS Ltd. shall provide regular updates on ISO standards, GHG Protocol, and IPCC Guidelines.

This framework ensures that product carbon footprints quantified and verified by ATS Ltd. are credible, transparent, and aligned with international standards, supporting global climate action and regulatory compliance.