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A primer on greenhouse gas emissions management

Find out about the key components of an effective greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions management system and the role of CPAs.

Achieving the global targets envisioned in the Paris Agreement will require a cultural shift and the harnessing of markets, innovation and technology. This paper addresses the need to reduce and manage GHG emissions in response to climate change. It focuses on the importance of GHG emissions management systems, which consist of a set of processes and tools designed and developed by organizations and tailored to their need to understand, quantify, monitor, report and verify GHG emissions.

This publication presents:

  • an overview of climate change developments and mitigation efforts in Canada and globally
  • existing federal and provincial carbon-pricing and GHG emissions reporting requirements
  • key components of a GHG emissions management system
  • questions for companies to address when establishing such a system for their organization

CPAs have a crucial role to play in supporting their organizations’ GHG emissions management activities. This paper outlines how CPA skills and competencies can contribute to climate change mitigation activities within their organizations. It also provides a series of resources for CPAs and businesses looking to get started on measuring and managing GHG emissions.