What the New GHG Protocol Land Sector & Removals Standard means for Vineyards

The release of the GHG Protocol Land Sector and Removals Standard marks a major step forward for agriculture — and for the global wine sector. For the first time, there is a unified, science-based framework for how farms should measure and report carbon stored in soils and biomass, as well as carbon removals generated through land management.

For vineyards, this brings long-needed clarity. It recognises the climate value of perennial systems, strengthens the credibility of soil carbon reporting, and sets a consistent foundation for climate action across the wine value chain.

Why This Standard Matters for Winegrowers

The Standard provides a globally aligned method for assessing land-based carbon impacts. For vineyards, this means:

• Soil and perennial biomass are formally recognised as carbon sinks

• Carbon removals from improved land management can be included in GHG inventories

• Regenerative practices gain a stronger scientific footing

• Traceability and data quality become central expectations

  This is a significant shift toward evidence-based climate reporting.

What’s New in the Standard

1. Soil Carbon Gains Can Now Be Counted as Carbon Removals

For the first time, increases in soil organic carbon and biomass can be reported as CO₂ removals, even on long cultivated land.

However, removals must be:

• Based on net carbon stock change

• Measured or modelled conservatively

• Monitored over time

This elevates soil carbon monitoring from optional to essential.

2. Clear Distinctions Between Actions, Outcomes, and Credits

The Standard separates:

• Emissions

• Removals

• Management practices

• Carbon credits

Practices such as cover cropping or reduced tillage do not count as removals unless they lead to measurable increases in carbon stocks. This prevents confusion between inventory reporting and offset markets and protects producers who invest in rigorous monitoring.

3. Permanence and Reversals Must Be Tracked

If a vineyard reports removals, it must also report reversals — losses of stored carbon due to disturbance, drought, or land use change.

This encourages longterm, stable management and reinforces the value of perennial systems.

4. Traceability Is Now a Core Expectation

The Standard rewards specificity. Strongest reporting occurs at:

• Block or parcel level

• Followed by defined sourcing regions

• With national averages as a last resort

This aligns naturally with the wine sector’s emphasis on place and encourages closer grower–buyer collaboration.

Guidance from the Standard (Not Mandatory Rules)

a. Measure Outcomes, Not Checklists

The Standard does not assign carbon values to individual practices. Instead, it asks: Did carbon stocks increase? This shifts the sector toward outcomes-based reporting rather than practice vineyard-specific based assumptions.

b. Start With What You Have, Improve Over Time

Producers can begin with:

• Default factors

• Modelled estimates

• Basic soil sampling

…and progress toward more precise, vineyard specific data. Transparency about uncertainty is encouraged.

c. Avoid Carbon Leakage

If carbon gains come at the cost of significantly reduced yields — and production shifts elsewhere — the displaced emissions may need to be counted. This reinforces the importance of systems that support both soil health and long-term productivity.

Practical Steps for Vineyards

1. Establish a Baseline

A simple starting point includes:

• Soil organic carbon measurements

• Clear block boundaries

• Documentation of management practices

  
  

Over time, vineyards can add:

• Repeat soil sampling at consistent depths

• Biomass assessments (vines, hedgerows, trees)

• Yield data to demonstrate no displacement effects

  
  

The focus should be on stable, deeper carbon pools, not short-term fluctuations.

2. Practices That Align Well With the Standard

While the Standard avoids endorsing specific practices, it clearly favours systems that:

• Build longterm soil carbon

• Minimise disturbance

• Maintain or improve yields

• Are monitored consistently

This aligns with permanent cover cropping, reduced tillage, compost use, managed

grazing, and perennial vegetation.

3. Communicating Carbon Claims Responsibly

Recommended language:

• “Measured increases in soil carbon stocks”

• “Reported landsector CO₂ removals in our GHG inventory”

• “Monitored annually using conservative assumptions”

  
  

Avoid:

• “Carbon neutral wine” (without full lifecycle accounting)

• "Offsets from our vineyard soils”

• Claims made without ongoing monitoring

Precision builds trust.

What This Means for Carbon Emission Reduction

The new Standard reshapes how vineyards and wine companies approach carbon emission reduction, not just carbon storage. By defining how removals should be measured and reported, it strengthens the integrity of emissions inventories and ensures that reductions and removals are treated distinctly.

1. More Accurate Emissions Inventories

The Standard prevents removals from being used to mask insufficient progress on reducing operational emissions. This leads to:

• Cleaner Scope 1 and Scope 3 reporting

• Fewer overstated claims

• More reliable baselines for reduction planning

  
  

2. Stronger Foundations for ScienceBased Targets

Wine companies pursuing SBTi or IWCA targets now have a consistent method for integrating land sector data. This ensures that emissionreduction pathways are grounded in verifiable climate outcomes.

3. Emphasis on Durable, LongTerm Reductions

Because reversals must be reported, vineyards are encouraged to adopt practices that deliver stable, long-lasting carbon benefits while continuing to reduce fossil fuel and input-related emissions.

4. Better Alignment Across the Value Chain

The Standard’s emphasis on traceability and data quality improves collaboration between growers, wineries, and downstream buyers — essential for tackling Scope 3 emissions.

5. A More Credible Pathway to NetZero

Net zero depends on:

• Deep, sustained emission reductions

• High-quality, durable removals

  
  

The Standard strengthens both pillars, giving the wine sector a more transparent and defensible route to net zero.