Land Sector and Removals Standard
The Land Sector and Removals (LSR) Standard is the first GHG Protocol standard to provide greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting requirements and guidance that equip companies with the methods needed to quantify, report, and track land emissions and CO₂ removals. This standard also offers companies accounting requirements and guidance to report technological CO₂ removals (e.g. direct air capture) and CO₂ capture with geologic storage.
The LSR Standard was developed through a rigorous, transparent, and inclusive five-year effort involving global participation including more than 300 external reviewers. The effective date of the standard is January 1, 2027.
The Executive Summary document can be accessed here. Read this article for a quick overview of the Standard.
Please note, with publication of the LSR Guidance, minor, non-substantive edits are being made to the LSR Standard (v1.0) which was published on January 30, 2026. A document detailing the edits can be found here. The LSR Standard v1.1 is now the version users should refer to.
About the Land Sector and Removals Standard
The Land Sector and Removals Standard explains how companies account for and report the following activities in their greenhouse gas inventories:
- Land management and land use change
- CO₂ removals with storage in land and geologic carbon pools
- Emissions from biogenic products and products derived from technological CO₂ removals across the value chain
The LSR Standard can be used by companies to:
- Inform mitigation strategies by understanding the GHG emissions and removal impacts of land management, land use change, biogenic products and other CO₂ removal activities
- Set targets and track performance by including the above activities in GHG targets
- Report GHG inventories including GHG emissions and CO₂ removals and report progress toward GHG mitigation goals
Forest Carbon Accounting
The GHG Protocol is launching a Request for Information (RFI) to gather stakeholder input on how best to achieve a robust and practicable approach to Forest Carbon Accounting (FCA).
With a view to drawing on the range of perspectives within and across the academic and practitioner communities, the RFI invites workable proposals that are both scientifically robust and practically implementable.
GHG Protocol will also explore complementary approaches for constructive engagement among stakeholders, and welcomes views on how such collaboration can best be structured.
While this work is underway, companies choosing to disclose forest carbon impacts should be transparent about their methodology.
To participate:
