The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) and Carbon Measures have formally announced the appointment of Iván Duque, the former President of Colombia, as the Chair of the newly established Advisory Group for the Technical Expert Panel (TEP). This strategic move aims to accelerate the development and adoption of a globally consistent framework for product-level carbon emissions accounting. The TEP, a collaborative initiative co-convened by the ICC and Carbon Measures, represents a significant milestone in the international effort to standardize how businesses measure, report, and verify their environmental impact across complex global supply chains.
The appointment of Mr. Duque comes at a critical juncture for international climate policy. As the world moves closer to the 2030 deadlines established under the Paris Agreement, the lack of a unified carbon accounting standard has emerged as a primary obstacle to effective decarbonization. Currently, businesses operate within a fragmented landscape of reporting requirements, which often leads to data inconsistencies, increased administrative costs, and the persistent risk of "greenwashing." By bringing together recognized experts from academia, financial accounting, industry, and civil society, the TEP seeks to create a rigorous, science-based methodology that can be applied universally, regardless of sector or geography.
The Strategic Role of the Advisory Group
While the TEP focuses on the intricate technicalities of emissions measurement—incorporating the latest developments in climate science and financial auditing—the Advisory Group was created to bridge the gap between technical theory and real-world application. Under the leadership of Mr. Duque, the group will provide high-level strategic guidance, ensuring that the framework remains relevant to the needs of both policymakers and the private sector.
Andrew Wilson, the Deputy Secretary General of the ICC, emphasized the importance of this bridge. He noted that Mr. Duque’s appointment is an essential step toward building the necessary engagement across key stakeholder groups. According to Wilson, Duque’s leadership and extensive experience in both the public and private sectors will be instrumental in advancing the wider conversation regarding the utility of a globally consistent product-level carbon accounting regime. The goal is not merely to create a technical document but to foster a system that can be seamlessly integrated into the operations of millions of businesses worldwide.
The Advisory Group is tasked with broadening the TEP’s reach, facilitating dialogues with government leaders, heads of industry, and international regulatory bodies. This external perspective is designed to complement the independent technical conclusions of the TEP, ensuring that the resulting framework is not only scientifically sound but also politically and economically viable.
Profile of Iván Duque: A Record of Climate Leadership
Iván Duque, who served as the President of Colombia from 2018 to 2022, brings a wealth of experience to the role. During his administration, Colombia emerged as a regional leader in climate action. His government committed the nation to a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and a path to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. These targets were among the most ambitious in the developing world and were eventually enshrined in the country’s 2021 Climate Action Law.
Beyond his domestic achievements, Mr. Duque has a long-standing history in international development. He spent more than a decade at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), where he focused on economic development and institutional strengthening. Since leaving the presidency, he has remained a prominent figure in global environmental circles. He has worked closely with organizations such as Conservation International and the Bezos Earth Fund. Furthermore, through his involvement with Concordia, he launched the Concordia Amazon Initiative, focusing on the preservation of the world’s largest rainforest—a critical carbon sink.
In his new role as Chair, Mr. Duque will serve in his personal capacity, independent of any of his other institutional affiliations. Upon his appointment, he expressed his commitment to the mission, stating that it is an honor to contribute to the advancement of high standards in climate accounting. He highlighted that standardized accounting is essential for developing better projects and enhancing transparency in the mobilization of capital toward decarbonization efforts.
The Context of Global Carbon Accounting Challenges
The TEP’s work addresses a fundamental problem in the transition to a low-carbon economy: the "measurement gap." While the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol has long served as the standard for corporate-level accounting (Scopes 1, 2, and 3), there is a growing demand for more granular, product-level data. Consumers, investors, and regulators increasingly want to know the exact carbon footprint of individual items—from a smartphone to a ton of steel.
However, calculating a product’s carbon footprint involves tracking emissions across a multi-tiered global supply chain. This requires data from raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life disposal. Currently, different regions use different benchmarks, leading to what many call "alphabet soup" in sustainability reporting. The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the United States Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) climate disclosure rules, and various ISO standards often overlap or conflict.
Amy Brachio, CEO of Carbon Measures, underscored the necessity of practical input in solving these technical challenges. She argued that while getting the technical work right is essential, it is only one part of the equation. To build a framework that functions across real-world supply chains, the initiative requires input from leaders who understand how policy and economic growth intersect on the ground. Brachio expressed confidence that Mr. Duque’s firsthand experience with these intersections makes him the ideal leader to bring more voices into the process.
Data and Economic Implications of Standardized Accounting
The economic stakes for a unified carbon accounting framework are immense. According to the World Bank, carbon pricing initiatives now cover about 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, without accurate accounting, these pricing mechanisms cannot function efficiently. Furthermore, the implementation of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) has created a sense of urgency. CBAM will require importers to report the embedded emissions of certain goods, effectively placing a carbon price on products entering the EU. Without a globally recognized accounting framework, exporters in developing nations may face significant trade barriers due to their inability to verify their emissions data to EU standards.
Standardization is also vital for the financial sector. The global sustainable finance market is estimated to be worth trillions of dollars, yet "greenwashing"—the practice of making misleading claims about environmental benefits—remains a major concern for investors. A consistent product-level framework would provide the transparency needed for financial institutions to direct capital toward truly sustainable enterprises and technologies.
The TEP’s work is expected to benefit Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in particular. While large multinational corporations often have the resources to navigate complex reporting requirements, SMEs—which make up over 90% of businesses worldwide—often lack the capacity to do so. A simplified, globally applicable framework would lower the barrier to entry for these businesses, allowing them to participate more effectively in the green economy.
Timeline and Future Outlook
The appointment of Mr. Duque is the first of several high-profile announcements expected from the TEP in the coming months. The Advisory Group is slated to expand further, with the ICC indicating that additional members will be announced to represent a broader range of sectors and geographies. This expansion is intended to ensure that the framework accounts for the unique challenges faced by different industries, such as heavy manufacturing versus digital services, and different economic contexts, such as emerging markets versus developed economies.
The TEP’s roadmap involves several phases of technical development and stakeholder consultation:
- Technical Synthesis: Reviewing existing methodologies to identify gaps and areas for harmonization.
- Advisory Consultation: Under Mr. Duque’s leadership, gathering feedback from political and business leaders to refine the framework’s applicability.
- Pilot Testing: Implementing the proposed framework in select industries to test its efficacy in real-world scenarios.
- Global Rollout: Finalizing the framework and advocating for its adoption by international regulatory bodies and industry associations.
As the TEP continues its work, the focus remains on creating a "universal language" for carbon. By standardizing the way carbon is measured at the product level, the initiative aims to transform carbon from an abstract environmental metric into a concrete financial and operational factor.
The leadership of Iván Duque is expected to provide the diplomatic and strategic momentum necessary to move these technical standards from the laboratory to the global marketplace. His appointment signals that carbon accounting is no longer just a concern for environmental scientists, but a top-tier priority for global economic governance. In the words of the ICC, the goal is to create a "globally consistent product-level carbon accounting regime" that serves as the foundation for a transparent, efficient, and sustainable global economy.
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