Which Climate Strategies Can Drive Down Heat Most Effectively in the Next Decade?

The Global Heat Reduction Initiative (GHR) is bringing advanced climate accounting metrics to the table to help companies and other decision makers identify mitigation strategies that can most rapidly and responsibly reduce excess trapped heat in the atmosphere.

This was the message Executive Director Kiff Gallagher delivered on stage at the “Climate X Data” event organized by the investment firm Immoderata during Climate Week in New York. 

“While conventional climate accounting has provided valuable information about greenhouse gas emission levels and emission reductions, there’s a lot more to the story,” said Kiff Gallagher, GHR Executive Director. “Now we can fully value methane mitigation over the crucial next decade, account for very powerful short-lived climate pollutants like black carbon that have been largely left out, consider the effects of changing surface reflectivity, and much more.”

The newly launched initiative unveiled its first set of tools to help private and public sector organizations route their climate dollars where they have the greatest, most immediate impact.  It is a groundbreaking, practical application of the latest IPCC-published consensus science aimed at moving the needle on climate stabilization and recovery.

“As the saying goes, you can’t manage what you don’t measure,” said Gallagher. “The comprehensive climate change information built into the peer-reviewed GHR protocols triggers an ‘Aha!’ moment.  People immediately sit up straight when you tell them about this.”  

The GHR initiative was launched last week by SCS Global Services, a pioneer and international leader in third-party certification and standards setting in the sustainability arena. The initiative currently includes a climate registry, third-party footprint calculation and verification services, and advisory services.

Background

The summer of 2024 was the warmest on record for the Northern hemisphere – again. Nine of the ten hottest years on the books fell in the last decade, and expectations are that 2024 set another record. Climate efforts to date are not meeting the targets identified by the international community. 

Non-CO₂ climate super pollutants are one of the keys. Roughly half of all current anthropogenic global warming is caused by supercharged heat-trapping pollutants such as methane, black carbon, and HCFs, with methane alone responsible for about 30 percent of all warming since the Industrial Revolution. 

Projects that reduce or eliminate these pollutants can often be undertaken with off-the-shelf technologies, with a huge pay-off in terms of short-term heat mitigation – enough to create the necessary bridge to longer term results from reductions of CO₂ and other long-lived climate pollutants. And they can simultaneously benefit local communities and ecosystems by improving air and water quality and reducing environmental impacts.

“Companies clearly care about getting heat reduction results – their supply chains, their own operations, and their customers are all being affected,” said Gallagher. “The SEC just said that heat is a financial risk. The time to focus on heat is now.”  

To learn more about the GHR, please visit: https://www.heatreduction.com/documents

About the Global Heat Reduction Initiative

The Global Heat Reduction Initiative (GHR) was launched in 2024 to bring new tools to market that will help slow global warming within the next decade and beyond. The Initiative delivers the most comprehensive climate accounting approach available today, including critical data to unlock financing for projects that can rapidly reduce excess atmospheric heat. GHR services include a climate registry, footprint calculation and verification, and advisory services. GHR is an initiative of SCS Global Services. Learn more at www.heatreduction.com.

About SCS Global Services

SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development, currently celebrating its 40th year. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a California-chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices.  SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.  For more information, visit www.SCSGlobalServices.com.