A coalition of 90 industry leaders is calling on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to explicitly include renewable gaseous fuels like biomethane and biogas in its forthcoming standard, aiming to boost investment and clarity in decarbonisation efforts.
A coalition of about 90 industry leaders is pressing the Greenhouse Gas Protocol to ensure its forthcoming Actions and Market Instruments standard properly reflects the climate value of renewable gaseous fuels such as biomethane and biogas, according to a report by Bioenergy Insight. The campaign, Let Green Gas Count, timed the appeal to London Climate Action Week and brought together groups including the World Biogas Association, the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association, the European Biogas Association and the American Biogas Council. Bioenergy Insight said the 81 signatories include BP, Shell, Veolia, Volvo, Cadent, Centrica, Kinder Morgan, Pernod Ricard, Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas Daigas, Waga Energy and the Scotch Whisky Association. (bioenergy-news.com)
The intervention matters because the GHG Protocol is the dominant framework for corporate emissions reporting: the organisation says it supplies the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standards and that, in 2016, 92% of Fortune 500 companies responding to CDP used it directly or through a programme based on it. It also says the standards underpin virtually every corporate greenhouse gas reporting programme globally. (ghgprotocol.org)
Campaigners argue that the present system does not give enough guidance on market-based instruments, leaving investors without the certainty needed to back decarbonisation projects in hard-to-abate sectors. In its scope 2 guidance, the protocol already sets out how contractual instruments such as renewable energy credits are treated, alongside eight quality criteria for those instruments; the industry’s latest push is aimed at extending that kind of clarity to renewable gas. (bioenergy-news.com)
The letter makes three main requests. First, it wants the protocol to recognise contractual purchases and explain how different chain-of-custody models should be handled in physical and market-based inventories. Second, it calls for quality criteria that are high-level enough to accommodate established regulatory and voluntary schemes, rather than rules so tight they would shut out parts of the market. Third, it seeks an impact statement that would allow companies to report upstream climate and environmental benefits using life cycle assessment. (bioenergy-news.com)
The request is not without precedent. The International Gas Union has also urged the protocol to recognise robust market instruments for renewable gases, saying clearer rules are needed to give investors confidence as earlier guidance has been withdrawn. Meanwhile, the US Environmental Protection Agency’s renewable fuel framework already relies on lifecycle greenhouse gas assessment to determine whether fuel pathways qualify, and its programme uses credits known as Renewable Identification Numbers to help obligated parties comply. (igu.org)
For the gas and bioenergy sectors, the stakes are high. Bioenergy Insight reported that the campaign believes a poorly aligned standard could chill investment at a critical moment, while the GHG Protocol is still completing Phase 1 of its Actions and Market Instruments process. (bioenergy-news.com)
- https://www.bioenergy-news.com/news/industry-leaders-urge-ghg-protocol-to-recognise-renewable-gaseous-fuels-in-new-standard/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://ghgprotocol.org/standards – The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol provides the world’s most widely used greenhouse gas accounting standards, offering frameworks for businesses, governments, and other entities to measure and report their greenhouse gas emissions. In 2016, 92% of Fortune 500 companies responding to the CDP used GHG Protocol directly or indirectly through a program based on GHG Protocol. It provides the accounting platform for virtually every corporate GHG reporting program in the world.
- https://www.igu.org/press-releases/the-international-gas-union-calls-for-clarity-on-the-role-of-market-instruments-f – The International Gas Union (IGU) co-signed an open letter addressed to the GHG Protocol, calling for the recognition of green gas as part of a global effort to accelerate the decarbonisation of corporates and industries. The letter, coordinated by the Let Green Gas Count campaign, urges the GHG Protocol to evolve to reflect the role of robust market instruments for renewable gaseous fuels, as previous guidance providing necessary investment certainty on the renewable gas market has been withdrawn.
- https://www.epa.gov/renewable-fuel-standard/fuel-pathways-under-renewable-fuel-standard – In 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established a process for companies to petition for new fuel pathways to qualify for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). A fuel pathway is a specific combination of three components: feedstock, production process, and fuel type. Assessment of lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is necessary to determine which fuel pathways can qualify. The EPA evaluates lifecycle GHG emissions of finished fuels that do not require further chemical alteration to be used for their final purpose.
- https://ghgprotocol.org/scope-2-guidance – The Scope 2 Guidance standardizes how corporations measure emissions from purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat, and cooling (called ‘scope 2 emissions’). The guidance includes new requirements for accounting for emissions from energy contracts and instruments (such as renewable energy credits) in GHG inventories, eight Scope 2 Quality Criteria that all contractual instruments must meet to be a reliable data source for the scope 2 market-based method, and recommendations for transparently disclosing information about energy purchases.
- https://www.epa.gov/lmop/information-about-renewable-fuel-standard-landfill-gas-energy-projects – The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, created under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 and expanded by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, requires obligated parties, including refiners or importers of gasoline or diesel fuel, to meet a Renewable Volume Obligation (RVO) based on the amount of petroleum-based fuels they produce or import annually. One way for these parties to meet compliance requirements (the RVO) is by obtaining credits known as Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs).
- https://www.keslio.com/insights/a-guide-to-the-ghg-protocol – The GHG Protocol suite includes several standards and guidance documents, each designed for specific applications. The Corporate Standard is for a company-level GHG inventory, helping define organizational boundaries, operational boundaries, base year, emissions scopes, calculation methods, and reporting principles. The Scope 2 Guidance standardizes how companies report emissions from purchased or acquired electricity, steam, heat, and cooling, introducing important rules for market-based reporting and the use of energy contracts and instruments such as renewable energy certificates.
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The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article was published on June 29, 2026, and reports on a recent call by approximately 90 industry leaders for the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol to recognise renewable gaseous fuels in its forthcoming Actions and Market Instruments (AMI) standard. The timing aligns with London Climate Action Week, suggesting the information is current. However, the article references a joint letter with 81 signatories, which may have been issued earlier. Further verification is needed to confirm the exact publication date of the letter and ensure the article’s freshness.
Quotes check
Score:
6
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from the joint letter, such as calls for the GHG Protocol to recognise contractual purchases and provide clarity on chain-of-custody models. However, the earliest known usage of these quotes cannot be independently verified, raising concerns about their originality and accuracy. Without access to the original letter, the authenticity of these quotes remains uncertain.
Source reliability
Score:
5
Notes:
The article originates from Bioenergy Insight Magazine, a niche publication focusing on bioenergy news. While it provides detailed information, the source’s limited reach and potential biases may affect the reliability of the content. Additionally, the article relies on a press release from the Let Green Gas Count campaign, which may present a one-sided perspective. Cross-referencing with other reputable sources is recommended to assess the credibility of the claims.
Plausibility check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article discusses the GHG Protocol’s development of the AMI standard and the industry’s call for recognition of renewable gaseous fuels. This aligns with ongoing efforts to integrate renewable gases into emissions reporting frameworks. However, the article’s reliance on a single source and the inability to independently verify certain claims raise questions about the completeness and accuracy of the information presented.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): FAIL
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents information on industry leaders urging the GHG Protocol to recognise renewable gaseous fuels in its new standard. However, concerns about the freshness and originality of the content, the reliability of the source, and the lack of independent verification sources raise significant doubts about the article’s credibility. Further verification from independent and reputable sources is necessary to substantiate the claims made.
