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24 Working group session summariesSummary reportMeasuring andcommunicating progressStandardization in carbon disclosure will help decision-makingamong business, governments, consumers, and investors.The Bali Action Plan call for mitigation activities that canbe measured, reported, and verified (MRV), is mirroredin the private sector’s call for greater clarification andstandardization of rules on climate change disclosure.Corporate reporting and measuring systems are developingrapidly but would benefit significantly from clarificationand standardization so as to improve results forboth providers and users of information. Cities, publicsector, and other organizations, with climate strategiesare adopting similar practices and facing similar challenges.These predominantly voluntary disclosures arewelcome and vital responses by business and others tothe demand for solutions to the threats posed by climatechange.“What gets measured gets managed.Getting the facts right facilitates afocus on the business-critical risksand opportunities related to climatechange. Managers and investors alikeneed better tools for measuring carbonfootprints and to be able to quantifythe outcomes of carbon reductionstrategies.”Lise Kingo, Executive Vice President andChief of Staffs, Novo NordiskThe Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol establishes a firmfoundation for measurement of GHG emissions. However,while the GHG Protocol and other monitoring andPrinciples for a global reportingstandardA uniform and transparent global reportingstandard is required that:• Reduces complexity and provides the claritythat will enable business to integrate climatechange considerations into their strategiesand long-term planning;• Produces disclosures that are consistent,comparable and reliable across sectors andgeographies;• Satisfies the information needs of government,business, investors and consumers;• Creates the common language for reportingthat is necessary for linking and harmonizingschemes; and• Provides the clarity and rigor that is necessaryfor compliance, assurance and enforcementand that is compatible with theimplementation of policies under discussionthrough the UN Framework Convention onClimate Change negotiations.On 25 May 2009, the Climate Disclosure StandardsBoard released a draft Reporting Frameworkfor public consultation that seeks toachieve these objectives.reporting schemes allow various methods to be usedfor boundary setting, emissions measurement, targetsetting and performance tracking, disclosures can varyin quality, quantity and relevance. The resulting lack ofconsistency and comparability is inconsistent with theglobal and shared nature of climate change, prevents theeffective use of information by markets and stakeholdersand discourages disclosure – companies and others areuncertain about what they should report and how anydisclosure will be used.This working group was organized by UN Global Compact.For more information, please go to www.unglobalcompact.orgor contact Lila Karbassi at karbassi@un.orgRecommendation to policymakers• Support a global reporting model whichincludes business, governments, consumers,and investors to help create the frameworkfor MRV and communication. Given the existingdisparate efforts, this may mean that aglobal model would begin as a collection ofregional measurement and reporting models.Any such system would need to ensureconsistency, comparability, and reliability,between sectors and geographies.• Promote long term policy clarity and certainty,which would help with business planningand integration of actions on climate changeinto business strategies and allow effectivelong-term planning.