What should an emissions inventory include?

At minimum: organisational boundary definition, Scope 1 and 2 emissions by source, material Scope 3 categories, activity data and emission factors used, total in tCO₂e, intensity metrics, comparison with previous years, and a methodology statement covering assumptions and exclusions.

How often should I update my emissions inventory?

Most frameworks require annual reporting aligned with your financial year. However, quarterly or monthly updates are increasingly common for internal management purposes. More frequent updates enable faster identification of trends and more responsive decision-making.

Emissions Inventory

An emissions inventory is a comprehensive quantified record of all greenhouse gas emissions and removals associated with an organisation over a defined reporting period.

What is Emissions Inventory?

An emissions inventory (also called a GHG inventory or carbon inventory) is the core output of the carbon accounting process. It documents all emission sources, the activity data collected, the emission factors applied, the methodology used, and the resulting emissions in tonnes of CO₂e, organised by scope and category.

A well-constructed inventory follows the GHG Protocol’s five accounting principles: relevance (covers all material sources), completeness (no significant exclusions), consistency (allows year-on-year comparison), transparency (methodology and assumptions are documented), and accuracy (data is as precise as practicable).

The inventory forms the basis for regulatory reporting (SECR, CSRD), voluntary disclosures (CDP, SBTi), reduction target-setting, transition planning, and stakeholder communication. Its quality determines the credibility of all downstream uses.

Practical Examples

A manufacturing company compiles its annual GHG inventory covering 15 sites, documenting gas and electricity consumption (Scope 1 and 2), fleet fuel (Scope 1), and seven material Scope 3 categories.

A property fund produces a portfolio-level emissions inventory covering all assets, presenting results by property type, region, and energy source.

A university publishes its GHG inventory alongside its annual accounts, showing a five-year trend of declining emissions against its science-based reduction target.

How Climatise Helps

Climatise builds and maintains your GHG inventory automatically, collecting data from all sources, applying the latest emission factors, and producing a transparent, verifiable inventory that meets regulatory and voluntary requirements.

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