What is a GHG Baseline and why should it be your first step to decarbonisation?
Measuring greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is a crucial step for businesses in managing their environmental impacts. The process is a cornerstone of sustainable practice and provides the insight needed to drive decarbonisation. At Wylde Connections we understand that many companies lack the knowledge and skills they need to get started. We are responding by releasing a series of articles providing a practical guide to what GHG emissions are, why they need to be measured and how to begin the journey to decarbonisation. In our second instalment, we will explain how to establish your GHG baseline. This lays the foundations for setting realistic reduction targets, tracking progress over time, and making informed decisions that align with your sustainability goals.
What we have learnt so far
In our previous article we took a deep dive into GHG emissions, exploring what they are and why reducing them holds the key to tackling climate change. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. They are released through human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture, and industrial processes. Once in the atmosphere, they trap heat and intensify the natural greenhouse effect, leading to rising global temperatures and increasing climate instability.
While greenhouse gases occur naturally and are essential for maintaining life on Earth, human activity has dramatically increased their concentration, pushing climate systems beyond safe limits. Understanding and managing GHG emissions is critical for any business seeking to operate sustainably. Measuring emissions allows companies to identify their environmental impact, cut energy costs, secure regulatory compliance and gain competitive advantage. Addressing them is a key step in future-proofing your business and demonstrating leadership in the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Drawing a line in the sand
Establishing your GHG emissions baseline marks a clear starting point from which all future progress is measured. It defines where your business currently stands in terms of emissions and serves as the reference against which improvements, reductions, and successes can be tracked.
A GHG baseline represents a quantified account of emissions produced over a defined period, typically one year, and serves serving as a reference point for tracking future reductions over time. It acts as the foundation upon which businesses can build a structured and credible decarbonisation strategy.
It enables organisations to assess their current impact, identify high-emitting areas within operations and the supply chain, and determine where reductions will be most effective. Without a baseline, companies lack the clarity and direction needed to make informed decisions, prioritise actions, and measure progress. It also makes it difficult to meaningfully engage stakeholders, demonstrate accountability, or comply with emerging regulatory and procurement requirements.
The gateway to decarbonisation
Decarbonisation refers to the process of reducing or eliminating greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide, from business activities and supply chains. For a business, the goal is to support the UK’s Net Zero commitment by reducing its carbon footprint.
Establishing a baseline provides the data needed to start driving decarbonisation, to set science-based targets, monitor reductions, and report transparently on progress. It demonstrates to stakeholders that your business is serious about managing impacts.
The exercise also enhances operational efficiency and cost savings. By mapping out energy usage, fuel consumption, and waste generation, businesses often uncover inefficiencies and resource losses. Addressing these not only contributes to emissions reductions but can also lower operational costs. In this way, decarbonisation becomes a commercially sound strategy as well as an environmental one.
Next steps
In our next article we will begin to lay out our step-by-step guide to establishing your GHG baseline. We will get you started with scoping, identifying emission sources and gathering the necessary data.
Does it all sound daunting? With the right tools and support any business can start the journey. At Wylde Connections our expert team works closely with you at every stage. Whether you are just beginning to explore your environmental impact or you need support aligning with frameworks such as SECR, ESOS, or Net Zero commitments, we tailor our approach to meet your business needs and sector context.
We then translate your data into meaningful insights, giving you a clear and accurate picture of your baseline emissions. We present this information in a practical format, highlighting key emissions hotspots and opportunities for improvement. Our team also supports you in understanding the data, communicating it to stakeholders, and using it to inform sustainability goals and performance reporting. Visit www.wyldeconnections.co.uk or book a Discovery Call today.