GHG emissions

Through its software and supporting services, Greenstone enables its clients to accurately measure and report GHG emissions across their organisation. With an accurate GHG emissions footprint, organisations can set reduction targets and closely monitor GHG emissions over time.

What are the main GHG emissions?

Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, causing the greenhouse effect. Some of the most common types of greenhouse gases are:

Carbon dioxide: Carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), solid waste, trees and other biological materials, and also as a result of certain chemical reactions (e.g., manufacture of cement).
Methane: Methane is emitted during the production and transport of coal, natural gas, and oil. Methane emissions also result from livestock and other agricultural practices, land use and the decay of organic waste in municipal solid waste landfills.
Nitrous oxide: Nitrous oxide is emitted during agricultural, land use, industrial activities, combustion of fossil fuels and solid waste, as well as during treatment of wastewater.
Fluorinated gases: Fluorinated gases are synthetic, powerful greenhouse gases that are emitted from a variety of industrial processes. These gases are typically emitted in smaller quantities but are still considered potent greenhouse gases

Where do GHG emissions come from?

Greenhouse gases trap heat and make the planet warmer. Human activities are responsible for nearly all of the rise in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere over the last 150 years. The main sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are:

Transportation – 29% of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions
Electricity production – 25% of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions
Industry – 2% of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions
Commercial and Residential – 13% of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions
Agriculture – 10% of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions
Land Use and Forestry – 12% of 2019 greenhouse gas emissions

Source: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions

Greenstone and GHG emissions

Greenstone enables accurate and robust GHG emissions calculation through its award-winning sustainability software and support services.

Calculation of accurate GHG emissions associated with a variety of data sources (e.g. energy, transport, waste, water and fugitive gases) across an organisation.

Environment module:

Greenstone’s Environment module, part of its Enterprise sustainability reporting software, automatically calculates GHG emissions associated with a variety of data sources (e.g. energy, transport, waste, water and fugitive gases) across an organisation.

This module uses Greenstone’s ever-evolving database of 1m+ emissions factors from international standards including GHG Protocol, Defra, US EPA and IEA.

SupplierPortal:

Greenstone’s supply chain software, SupplierPortal, enables organisations to distribute questionnaires and carbon ‘wizards’ to their suppliers to enable them to calculate their carbon footprint and report this data back to the buyer. This emissions data can then be automatically included in the reporting organisation’s overall scope 1, 2 and 3 footprint for management, target setting and performance tracking.

InvestorPortal module:

Greenstone’s Investor ESG software, InvestorPortal, enables investors to request and collect ESG data from funds and portfolio companies. Portfolio companies can use the GHG emissions ‘wizards’ to simply and quickly calculate their carbon footprints and report this data to their investors. This emissions data can then be used in an investor’s scope 3 footprint.