Criterion A.6 - Compliance with the principles of the Net Zero Initiative

The means of action available to an organisation to combat climate change are numerous: it can reduce its own emissions, work to reduce the emissions of others, and increase the emissions it contributes to sequestering. These levers of action can, moreover, be exercised within its value chain (upstream or downstream) or outside its value chain.

This is summarised by the dashboard of the Net Zero Initiative (NZI):

Basic principle of compliance with the Net Zero Initiative

Thus, candidate tools are required to comply with this "triple entry" philosophy without necessarily having to adopt its reporting formalism. More specifically, there can under no circumstances be any addition or subtraction between each pillar (whether within the value chain or outside the value chain).

In the context of a project or a product, it is also necessary that avoided emissions or any sequestered emissions be accounted for separately and not subtracted from the total GHG emissions profile. Indeed, the Bilan Carbone® method seeks to assess the emissions induced by the reality of the flows required to carry out projects or products.

Education on compliance with the Net Zero Initiative

In order to support an understanding of the principles of the Net Zero Initiative, tools must integrate educational resources, or dedicated time, explaining these principles. This will allow users to understand why avoided and sequestered emissions are not subtracted from induced emissions, and consequently to better grasp the issues of carbon contribution and carbon neutrality, the misuse of which may be linked to these concepts.

A sound understanding of the NZI principles also enables better prioritisation of actions when developing a transition plan, by first seeking to reduce one's own emissions, then to enable the avoidance of emissions outside one's value chain, and finally to promote GHG sequestration at the end of the low-carbon transition process.

Criterion

Mandatory	Criterion A.6 - Compliance with the Principles of the Net Zero Initiative
Question	Does the tool comply with the philosophy of the Net Zero Initiative by distinguishing between induced emissions, avoided emissions, and sequestered emissions, whether within its scope, its value chain, or outside its value chain?
Answer	Yes, the tool distinguishes induced emissions from avoided and sequestered emissions and supports an understanding of the NZI principles No, because avoided or sequestered emissions are not accounted for in the candidate tool, but the tool supports an understanding of the NZI principles No, the tool distinguishes induced emissions from avoided and sequestered emissions, but does not support an understanding of the NZI principles No, the tool does not distinguish induced emissions from avoided and sequestered emissions.
Implementation guidance	Enter data in the recycling, energy recovery, etc. sections, then analyse the results of the candidate tool to see whether avoided emissions are taken into account/displayed. Check whether: entering data in the recycling, energy recovery, etc. sections reduces the total carbon footprint of a category or of the complete assessment. the tool allows the creation of negative emission factors the tool incorporates elements presenting the NZI principles