ISO standard for climate action framework under development

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is developing a new International Standard, intended to give all organisations involved in climate action a framework for the development of consistent, comparable and improved methodologies in the fight against climate change.

ISO 14080, Greenhouse gas management and related activities – Framework and principles for methodologies on climate actions, will provide guidance on how to create effective mitigation and adaptation activities while giving stakeholders enhanced access to financial and other resources needed to combat climate change. The standard, which is currently at the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage, provides a generic framework for the development of climate action methodologies and their review and management over time.

The standard specifies principles for designing a framework and guideline to establish methodologies that take into account prevailing climate change policies as well as the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. It also provides examples of a methodology profile which can be used for communication with relevant stakeholders to harmonise aggregated actions and encourage the disclosure of climate-related information, including financially relevant information.

ISO 14080 can help non-state actors, initiatives, industry associations and GHG programs demonstrate that climate action can contribute to a low-carbon society and adaptation strategies with governance. Publication is expected in 2018.