The origins of greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting, or the measurement of emissions from companies and other entities, date back to the late 1990s, but interest has grown exponentially in recent years with the expansion of voluntary and, more recently, mandatory corporate climate disclosure initiatives.

US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) completed the rule in March 2024 , which will require companies to disclose some of their issues if they are considered financially significant to investors. The European Union enacted in 2023 the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), which will require companies operating in Europe to disclose their emissions from 2025. The Council International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) issued a voluntary standard for reporting greenhouse gas emissions in 2023 ( IFRS S2 ). ; three countries have made it mandatory for corporations operating in their country, while several others are considering doing the same. And importantly, nearly 400 organizations have committed to progress in adopting or using ISSB sustainability standards (including IFRS S2) globally. (Kyle Aiuto , Sarah Huckins and Hannah Momblanco, more at wri.org)