ISO Climate Change Coordinating Committee News

Letter from the Chair: Tod Delaney, PhD, PE, BCEE, President of First Environment

What is the CCCC?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO’s) Technical Management Board established the Climate Change Coordinating Committee (CCCC) in January 2014 to advance climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts worldwide. As its Chair, I’ve worked over the past year to facilitate discussion among committee members to identify key stakeholders, coordinate with other ISO committees related to climate change, and build relationships with international climate organizations to further common goals.

Committee objectives

Through regular committee meetings and outreach, the CCCC will be finalizing a defined mandate by the end of the 2015 calendar year. It will address the following key objectives: 1. Review existing ISO standards related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, identify gaps, and recommend actions and priorities 2. Identify and assess relevant stakeholder needs for climate change standards, particularly those of developing countries 3. Develop a roadmap for future actions and further studies 4. Collaborate with international climate organizations to collect input, develop joint initiatives, raise awareness, and promote participation of stakeholders in international development and implementation 5. Provide advice on coordination with other relevant environmental organizations.

Accomplishments to date

We’re already well on our way to advancing these goals. Specifically, in October the CCCC convened in Beijing to discuss existing ISO standards related to climate change, identify gaps and areas for improvement, and define relevant stakeholders and their associated climate change concerns. The committee also established two internal working groups, one focusing on climate adaptation initiatives and one on climate mitigation. In addition, last week I traveled to Brussels, Belgium to participate in the European Union’s Economic and Financial Affairs Council’s discussion of strategic investments. The meeting highlighted areas where the CCCC can provide guidance, develop consistent standards and define and promot best practices for climate change adaptation and mitigation to empower governments.

How to get involved

I’ll be keeping you updated on CCCC news and events over the coming year. Most important, though, is the role you can play in providing feedback on our strategy, supporting continued outreach to stakeholders, and spreading the work to local communities and environmental agencies. If you’d like to be part of a U.S. mirror group, please contact Kristy Cerullo at [email protected] or visit ISO’s website for more information.

Tod Delaney, PhD, PE, BCEE, President of First Environment

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Tod is the founder and president of First Environment, as well as a veteran of the U.S. Army. Since the firm’s inception he has provided direction, management, and technical oversight of the most complex project across all service areas. For First Environment’s litigation practice, he serves as an expert witness for natural resource damages cases, and has testified in more than 30 litigations involving the management, disposal, and handling of chemicals in the context of CERCLA, RCRA, state-law cleanup statutes, and toxic tort lawsuits. He has prepared expert opinions for clients in a number of states—including New Jersey, New York, California, Washington, New Mexico, Louisiana, Georgia, and Maryland—and has testified in both federal and state courts.

For First Environment’s work in the federal sector as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business, Tod provides senior level management and quality oversight of deliverables. As a chemical and environmental health engineer, he also reviews all designs of remedial systems for our site investigation and remediation projects. In the 1990s, Tod initiated the firm’s early involvement in climate change mitigation, participating in the development of standards as a technical expert and/or international coordinator for ISO 14064 parts 1 and 2, ISO 14065, ISO 14066, and ISO 14067 regarding greenhouse gas verification and carbon footprinting. His continued involvement in international standards for climate issues includes his role as the elected Chair of ISO’s Climate Change Coordinating Committee, formed in 2014 to support the development of standards and best practices for mitigation and adaptation worldwide. Tod continues to grow the diverse collection of service First Environment offers, branching out into emerging areas such as environmental product certifications, green/climate bonds, and renewable fuel certification.

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