Information and communication technologies (ICTs) and ... - ITU

emovals, and identifying specific company actions or activities aimed at improving GHG management. It
also includes requirements and guidance on inventory quality management, reporting, internal auditing and
the organization's responsibilities for verification.
ITU-T L.1420 also references the GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard 172 that helps
companies and other organizations to identify, calculate, and report GHG emissions. It is designed to set the
standard for accurate, complete, consistent, relevant and transparent accounting and reporting of GHG
emissions by companies and organizations, including information on setting organizational and operational
boundaries, tracking emissions over time, and reporting emissions. It also provides guidance on GHG
accounting and reporting principles, business goals and inventory design, managing inventory quality,
accounting for GHG reductions, verification of GHG emissions, and setting a GHG target.
ICT products and services
At the level of ‘ICT goods, networks, and services’ (ICTs-as part of the everyday activity of a typical
organization) Recommendation ITU-T L.1410 provides a method of performing a life cycle analysis of ICT
goods, networks, and services. The LCA results for a particular item, such as a laptop computer, should be
requested by the purchaser of ICT goods, networks, and services from the supplier. The supplier is in a
position to trace back the GHG emissions at each step of the manufacturing process, down through the
supply chain to the raw material.
2 Categorising an organization’s GHG emissions
ITU-T L.1420 defines direct and indirect emissions as follows:
• Direct GHG emissions are emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting entity
• Indirect GHG emissions are emissions that are a consequence of the activities of the reporting entity,
but occur at sources owned or controlled by another entity
The direct and indirect emissions are categorized into three broad scopes:
• Scope 1: All direct GHG emissions (e.g. natural gas, petroleum, or diesel).
• Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions from consumption of purchased electricity, heat, or steam.
• Scope 3: Other indirect emissions such as the extraction and production of purchased materials
and fuels, transport-related activities in vehicles not owned or controlled by the reporting entity,
electricity-related activities (e.g. transmission and distribution losses) not covered in Scope 2,
outsourced activities, waste disposal, etc.
Companies do not generally formally report on Scope 3 emissions yet as they do not have the data needed
under their control, and the method of reporting ICT products and services is currently being drafted 173 .
However, before letting contracts some service providers and national agencies now ask their suppliers if
they can provide information to enable their Scope 3 emissions to be calculated. In this case, TSPs could be
asked what their emissions per product item are.
3 The benefits to TSPs of reporting GHG emissions
Large TSPs such as Verizon 174 , Vodafone, and BT have taken a lead in reporting their annual energy demand
and emissions of GHGs with a view to:
• Saving energy costs.
• Complying with national requirements (e.g. legal or voluntary commitments) to reduce emissions of
GHGs year on year.
• Improving their corporate social responsibility.
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