The Carbon Calculation & Accounting Standard (CCAS) Carbon Reporting Guidance for Local Highways Authorities (GHG Scopes 1, 2 & 3) has been published by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) and the Future Highways Research Group (FHRG), led by Proving Services.

CIHT is one of the partners of the FHRG.
 
Developed by the FHRG and the result of an 18 month long project which drew in 19 commercial and supply chain partners from across the sector, the guidance will support LHAs in establishing their carbon footprint. It also supports the goals for reducing carbon emissions set out in the Climate Change Committee’s Sixth Carbon Budget.
 
With no standardisation for carbon accounting currently in place, the highways and transportation sector is starting to accept the need for harmonisation. The Guidance provides LHAs with comprehensive and straightforward advice enabling the detailed reporting of GHG emissions across highways’ construction and maintenance services. It will enable:

• Comprehensive and consistent standards for carbon accounting for LHAs.
• Repeatable, transparent, and robust processes for undertaking emissions assessments including for both highways construction and highways maintenance.
• Proposed in-house processes for reducing the administrative overheads of carbon accounting.
• The assessment of strategic carbon reduction options based on accurate carbon baseline assessments.
   

The fact that this guidance also encompasses the notoriously difficult Scope 3 emissions resulting from supply chains, commercial partners and contractors, is a major achievement for the FHRG.
 
LHAs will be able to capture the carbon impact of all work that is their responsibility across Scope 1, 2 and 3. The standardised approach will also ensure calculated emissions are comparable between different LHAs, regardless of how they deliver their services, whether in-house, outsourced or through a local authority trading company. 
 
Anthony Payne, President of ADEPT said: “Achieving net zero will not happen without the actions of local authorities and the decarbonisation of highways and infrastructure is key. A large majority of councils have now declared a climate emergency – being able to measure carbon emissions in a consistent and standardised way is critical to us successfully delivering against our ambitions.”

Carbon Calculation & Accounting Standard (CCAS) - Carbon Reporting Guidance for Local Highways Authorities is available on the ADEPT website: www.adeptnet.org.uk/documents/fhrg-carbon-calculation-reporting-guidance-lhas