What is ISO 14064?

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ISO 14064 at a Glance

ISO 14064 is an international standard published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for measuring, reporting and verifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The first version was released in 2006, with the most recent revision in 2018.

The standard provides a framework for GHG accounting both at the organisational level (corporate inventory) and at the project level (mitigation / carbon credit projects). Independent verifiers assess the credibility of reported figures.

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The Three Parts of the Standard

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ISO 14064 vs the GHG Protocol

The two standards complement each other; they do not conflict. In short:

• GHG Protocol (Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Standard) — developed by WBCSD and WRI, this is the detailed accounting guide that answers how to calculate. The de-facto industry standard.
• ISO 14064-1 is the formal ISO standard; it answers how to report and audit. The GHG Protocol methodology is fully compatible with ISO 14064-1 — in practice the same calculations satisfy both standards.

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Benefits of ISO 14064 Certification

• Regulatory compliance: CBAM, CDP, CSRD/ESRS and other regulatory reports accept or require ISO 14064 methodology.
• Investor trust: ESG investment funds prefer companies with verified emission reports. ISO 14064-3 verification is the basic evidence investors look for.
• Supply-chain position: Major European buyers increasingly require ISO 14064 reports from their Tier-1 suppliers.
• Tender advantage: Verified carbon reports increasingly give firms an edge in EU and OECD public tenders.
• Operational efficiency: The inventory process systematically uncovers resource waste, energy leakage and opportunity areas.

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How to Start an ISO 14064 Inventory

1. Define the Organisational Boundary

Decide which legal entities are included in the inventory using operational control, financial control or equity-share approach. In multi-company structures this choice materially affects the total tonnage reported.

2. Define the Operational Boundary and Scopes

List each Scope 1 (direct), Scope 2 (purchased energy) and Scope 3 (value chain) sub-category. Decide which are material and which are negligible — and document the rationale.

3. Set Up a Data Collection System

Fuel and electricity bills, vehicle fuels, purchasing records, supplier reports and travel data should be collected systematically. Spreadsheets can work as a start, but audits require a reproducible data flow.

4. Choose Emission Factors

Use recognised sources such as IPCC AR6, DEFRA, EPA, IEA, or supplier-specific measurements. Record which factor was used for which line item — these are the first questions any auditor will ask.

5. Pick the Correct GWP Values

Converting each GHG (CH₄, N₂O, HFCs, etc.) to CO₂ equivalent requires GWP (Global Warming Potential) multipliers. IPCC AR6 (latest) is recommended, but report recipients may accept earlier versions. Explicitly state the version used.

6. Independent Verification (ISO 14064-3)

An accredited verification body reviews the inventory, traces data, challenges factor choices and reproduces calculations. It issues a verification opinion at either "limited assurance" or the stronger "reasonable assurance" level.

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ISO 14064 and the Legal Framework in Türkiye

In Türkiye, ISO 14064-1 inventory is aligned with the Turkish Emissions Trading System (TR-ETS) Measurement-Monitoring-Verification (MMV) protocols. With TR-ETS entering its pilot phase in 2026, inventory requirements are rising in energy-intensive sectors.

For listed companies, the BIST Sustainability Index and TSRS (Turkish Sustainability Reporting Standards) require verified GHG reports. For companies exporting to the EU, CBAM and CSRD/ESRS E1 reports are built on ISO 14064 methodology.