The energy transition necessitates not only a shift away from carbon-intensive activities but also the availability of decarbonized alternatives. However, until now, there has been a lack of transparent, quantified data to support the comparison of these alternatives and to redirect financial flows toward companies facilitating decarbonization. With an estimated investment requirement of US$215 trillion to achieve global net-zero emissions by 2050, the development of harmonized metrics is essential for channeling capital into effective climate solutions.
The Avoided Emissions Platform (AEP) is an interactive tool which models the avoided emission factors for 65 climate solutions. It is based on a transparent and open access methodology for calculating avoided emissions, often referred to as “scope 4”. This initiative has benefited from recommendations by a dedicated scientific committee, ensuring consistency with existing guidance on avoided emissions and a credible approach to assessing potential emission savings across sectors. The platform can be accessed with a license and will be expanded over time with new solutions.
The AEP delivers significant benefits to a diverse range of stakeholders:
Financial institutions gain enhanced decision-making capabilities through reliable, harmonized metrics that help align their portfolios with global net-zero objectives.
Companies can accurately calculate and report their avoided emissions, improving credibility and access to capital while gaining a competitive edge.
Consultants and data providers gain access to comprehensive resources, fostering collaboration and market differentiation.
Regulatory bodies receive valuable insights to inform policy development and track progress toward climate goals.
Academics obtain robust data for research and the advancement of sustainability methodologies.
Overall, this initiative promotes transparency, collaboration, and informed decision-making, driving the transition to a sustainable and decarbonized economy.
Lucian Peppelenbos, Climate & Biodiversity Strategist at Robeco: “Robeco has a long-standing commitment to invest in the net zero transition. In particular, our climate products, such as the Smart Energy and the Global Climate Transition funds, have been investing in climate solutions for many years. This new database will
help us credibly quantify their true contribution to climate mitigation. This addresses the high demand from our clients for more extensive impact measurement.”
Manuel Coeslier, Lead Expert, Climate & Environment at Mirova: “The financial sector plays a key role in driving the economy towards net zero emissions globally. Clear and comprehensive information on companies’ true contributions to this goal is essential, notably through the provision of climate solutions. We are confident the Avoided Emissions Platform will soon establish itself as a global market platform, thus enhancing ambition and transparency in measuring avoided emissions.”
Shirley Chojnacki, Head of Energy at BRIDGE, the Infrastructure debt platform of Edmond de Rothschild: “At Edmond de Rothschild Asset Management we have a strong conviction and longstanding commitment toward energy transition and climate actions, which are at the core of our investment thesis. By supporting since inception the creation of such a powerful and transparent database as AEP, we aim to contribute in building new methodologies for the market and transparency for all the stakeholders.”
Anne Désérable, Managing Director at Quantis: “To accelerate the environmental transition, we must not only reduce emissions but also scale up solutions that actively avoid them. This platform establishes robust and harmonized approaches to calculate avoided emissions, enabling both companies and financial institutions to assess climate contributions with greater clarity. It’s a critical step toward a more transparent and effective transition.”
Guillaume Neveux, Founder & Partner at I Care by BearingPoint: “I Care mission is to find ways to navigate through complexity and give stakeholders the technical decision tools to trigger investments for the climate transition. We are confident that this digital Avoided Emissions Platform, developed in partnership with Quantis, BearingPoint and a large number of corporate and financial institutions, will make the difference by enabling the developers of climate solutions to quantify in a harmonized way their contribution to the climate transition.”
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