Project for Climate Change Standards
The Climate Change and Energy Topic Standards are being reviewed in line with the most recent developments and the relevant authoritative intergovernmental instruments in the field of climate change, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and energy.
Public comment
The Climate Change and Energy Standard exposure drafts were made available for public comment between 21 November 2023 and 29 February 2024. You can access the 86 submissions from organizations and individuals here.
The Global Sustainability Standards Board is now reviewing comments received. An updated timeline of the project will be published in the coming months. Comments received on the exposure drafts will be published soon.
GRI prepared an overview that compares the Climate Change draft’s new disclosure elements with other standards and frameworks, showing how the draft enables more transparency on key climate change impacts. The document is available through the following link: Climate Change overview table.
Project update
A multi-stakeholder Technical Committee and subgroup members were appointed by the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) in May 2023. The role of the Committee for the Climate Change and Energy Standards is to provide technical expertise for the development of the content of the Standards, with the public exposure drafts being made available to the public in November 2023 for comments. The Technical Committee is supported by the members of the subgroup who provide insights on specific topics.
The (GSSB) approved the project for Climate Change Final Proposal in February 2023. The project follows the GSSB's Due Process Protocol, the implementation of which is overseen by the Due Process Oversight Committee. Get familiar with the GSSB Terms of Reference for more details.
The importance of the Climate Change and Energy Standards
As part of the Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) Work Program, the review of climate change-related disclosures in GRI 302: Energy 2016, GRI 305: Emissions 2016 (Disclosures 305-1 to 305-5), and GRI 201: Economic Performance 2016 (Disclosure 201-2: Financial implications and other risks and opportunities due to climate change) was identified as a priority.
Since the GRI Standards and disclosures on climate change-related issues were last revised, the topic of climate change has received significant attention at the international level and in the global sustainable development agenda. This attention is in line with the increasing recognition of the need for more effective climate action, as recognized in the Paris Agreement (2015) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)’s reports as well as the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Read the Project Proposal for more information.
The context for this project
The primary objective of this project is to review and revise GRI climate change-related Standards and to incorporate new issues that reflect stakeholder expectations on climate change impacts that go beyond energy consumption and GHG emissions. As part of the revision of GRI climate change- related Standards, the content of GRI 302: Energy 2016, GRI 305: Emissions 2016 (Disclosures 305-1 to 305-5) has been updated, while GRI 201: Economic Performance 2016 (Disclosure 201-2: Financial implications and other risks and opportunities due to climate change) has been integrated in the Climate Change exposure draft.
The objective of the revision is to represent internationally agreed best practice and align with the recent developments and the relevant authoritative intergovernmental instruments in the field of climate change, GHG emissions and energy consumption. In this context, the exposure drafts focus on reducing GHG emissions as the primary action organizations must take as well as on reducing energy consumption, in ways that support the principles of a just transition. The inclusion of disclosures on the social aspect of climate change and the concept of just transition is a crucial element of the exposure drafts.
The project is not limited to reviewing the current contents of existing GRI climate change-related disclosures. It also incorporates new topics such as transition plan, adaptation plan, GHG emissions reduction targets, just transition and GHG removals and carbon credits. The impacts that a transition to keep global temperatures below 1.5 °C can have on employers and workers, local communities, and other vulnerable groups and stakeholders is of particular relevance and importance for GRI. Topics such as beyond value chain mitigation have been researched and considered with particular attention on the impacts on local communities, vulnerable groups, and other stakeholders, including their human rights.
The development of the Climate Change Standard and revision of the Energy Standard will enable organizations to publicly disclose their most significant impacts on climate change issues and how they are managing those impacts.
Project Overview
February 2023
GSSB approval of the project proposal
April 2023
Appointment of the Climate Change Technical Committee
Q2 - Q3 2023
Development of the exposure drafts
Q4 2023 - Q1 2024
Public comment period on the set of draft Standards
Q2 - Q4 2024
Consideration of public feedbacks and revision (expected)
Q1 2025
Release of Standards (expected)
Related resouces
| GRI Topic Standards for Climate Change-Final project proposal | file | 16 Feb 2023 | English | 182 KB | |
| GRI Topic Climate Change Standard(s) project-Technical Committee member biographies | file | 14 Jun 2023 | English | 572 KB | |
| GRI Topic Climate Change Standard(s) project-Subgroup member biographies | file | 14 Jun 2023 | English | 499 KB | |
| GRI Topic Standard Project for Climate Change – Energy Exposure draft | file | 21 Nov 2023 | English | 680 KB | |
| GRI Topic Standard Project for Climate Change – Climate Change Exposure draft | file | 21 Nov 2023 | English | 1.4 MB | |
| GRI Topic Standard for Climate Change – Public comment questionnaire | file | 21 Nov 2023 | English | 182 KB | |
| GRI Climate Change and Energy Topic Standards public comment FAQs | file | 05 Dec 2023 | English | 174 KB | |
| GRI Climate Change and Energy Standard project Public comment feedback | file | 15 Apr 2024 | English | 270 KB |
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