NEW GHG VERIFICATION GUIDELINES
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) recently published updated Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Verification and Validation Guidelines for ensuring GHG Report submissions are aligned with the National GHG Emission Reporting Regulations.
The updated guidelines are summarised below, and illustrate the crucial role of a GHG monitoring and reporting platform such as EPCAM in ensuring your business’ GHG Reports are compliant and verification ready.
• GHG Report submission to DFFE by March each year.
• Companies may also submit an assurance and verification statement (this can accelerate submission approval) during two phases:
– Phase 1 – 12 November 2021 to December 2022: Verifications may be done by an independent assessor who is not formally accredited.
– Phase 2 – January 2023 onwards: Only verifications by accredited companies/assessors are allowed.
• The DFFE may review submissions according to the following quantity structure:
– Desktop review (< 25 000 tons CO2e per facility per annum)
– Site inspection (25 000 – 50 000 tons CO2e per facility per annum)
– Independent verification (> 50 000 tons CO2e per facility per annum)
• If the DFFE is satisfied with the verification statement and/or the review outcome, the submission will be approved.
• Unresolved disputes will follow the dispute resolution process outlined by the National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA).
A leading GHG monitoring and reporting platform, EPCAM ensures compliance by design, creating a simple solution to GHG reporting compliance and ‘verification readiness’. For example, monthly data inputs allow continuous data input throughout the year, avoiding significant workload at submission deadline and creating opportunities to rectify errors. Similarly, the “Supporting Documents” feature ensures that data evidence can be captured, readily available for a review. By ensuring compliance and accelerating the verification and approval process, EPCAM enables your business to stay ahead of the curve.
If you have further questions, please contact the EPCAM team on team@epcam.co.za.