ISO at COP28:
Accelerating climate action

Highlights from the conference

From insightful sessions to the launch of new standards, ISO stood at the forefront of discussions on how to turn climate commitments into action, now.

Full house at the Standards Pavilion by ISO

The Standards Pavilion by ISO emerged as a dynamic hub, highlighting the crucial role of International Standards in addressing climate change. From sustainable supply chains to lowering carbon emissions, ISO standards are essential to achieving climate goals and targets.

Replay all sessions on ISO's YouTube channel.

Standards in the spotlight

International Standards took centre stage in the official UNFCCC programme, with two side events: 

Credible and accountable climate commitments: We can’t do it alone (replay)
We discussed the increasing number of criteria and benchmarks used to verify climate action to improve the consistency between disclosure, action, and verification standards. To achieve this, we encourage greater collaboration among standard-setting frameworks and organizations.

Global clean hydrogen market – Harmonizing of measuring, reporting, verification and accreditation (replay)
We focused on the importance of having international standards for measuring, reporting, and accredited verification to ensure that clean hydrogen has comparable product carbon footprints and to promote and accelerate its global dissemination. 

Collaborating for good

The COP28 was a platform for strengthening existing collaborations and establishing new ones. ISO proudly announced a key partnership with the IFRS Foundation, marking a significant step towards aligning international financial reporting and sustainability standards. We also reaffirmed our joint commitment with UNIDO for inclusive and sustainable industrial development and economic growth through International Standards. These collaborations underline ISO’s commitment to cross-sectoral cooperation for effective climate action.

Launch of new climate standards

Two new ISO deliverables were also unveiled during the event. The new climate change management standard, ISO 14068-1, outlines a standardized approach for achieving and demonstrating carbon neutrality in the transition to net zero. ISO/TS 19870 on hydrogen technologies was launched by ISO President Ulrika Francke during a COP28 Presidency ministerial roundtable. The new technical specification provides a trusted international methodology for assessing the greenhouse gas emissions of hydrogen pathways on a life-cycle analysis basis.

Looking ahead

ISO remains committed to actions and next steps supporting global efforts towards a more sustainable and resilient future. We encourage all stakeholders to continue leveraging International Standards as powerful tools for driving positive change.

Stay connected for updates on new standards, initiatives and upcoming events!