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PTEmissions management: key challenges for companies in Latin America
Emissions management has become an essential strategic component for companies seeking to remain competitive and sustainable in an increasingly demanding global environment. In Latin America, although the region contributes a smaller proportion of global greenhouse gas emissions, its high vulnerability to climate change and its growing integration into international value chains make corporate action not only necessary but urgent.
In this context, companies are called upon to play an active role in the transition to a low-carbon economy, aligning their operations with national and international climate commitments and responding to pressure from investors, regulators and consumers who demand greater transparency and environmental responsibility.
The role of emissions management in the decarbonization strategy
Emissions management allows companies to measure, reduce and report their carbon footprint, which is essential to meeting the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) established under the Paris Agreement. For this process to be rigorous and useful, it is essential to establish a solid and representative base year that serves as a reference for assessing progress in reducing emissions.
Similarly, it is essential to identify the main sources of emissions, both direct (Scope 1) and indirect. In particular, comprehensive mapping of Scope 3—which includes emissions generated throughout the value chain, such as transportation, product use, business travel, or purchased goods— allows companies to gain a complete view of their climate impact. This comprehensive approach not only strengthens the sustainability strategy, but also opens opportunities for innovation, access to green financing, and competitive advantages in markets increasingly oriented toward decarbonization.
What types of companies should manage emissions?
Although this practice has traditionally been associated with large industries, today any company that wants to remain competitive must manage its emissions. This includes everything from multinational corporations to SMEs in all sectors of the economy, such as energy, transportation, manufacturing, agribusiness and services. Global supply chains are also demanding climate transparency from their suppliers, which broadens the scope of this responsibility.
How often should emissions be monitored?
The frequency with which emissions are monitored should no longer be limited to an annual assessment. Although an annual emissions inventory was traditionally considered sufficient, this approach has become obsolete considering current climate management requirements. Today, the ideal frequency depends not so much on the size or sector of the company, but on the availability and quality of data that can be collected throughout the year.
Having information updated monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually allows organizations not only to meet transparency requirements but also to make timely decisions about their emissions reduction projects. This frequent monitoring is essential to identify deviations, adjust strategies in real time, and prevent companies from operating “blindly” for long periods. In addition, it significantly improves accountability to investors, regulators and consumers, who increasingly demand traceability and concrete climate action.
Key challenges in Latin America
Despite growing interest in sustainability, companies in Latin America face a few structural and operational challenges that hinder the effective management of their emissions:
Mandatory challenges
In several Latin American countries, valuable initiatives have been developed to promote emissions measurement and reporting, such as Huella de Carbono Peru and Programa Huella Chile. These programs, led by each country’s environment ministry, have been instrumental in raising awareness in the private sector, building technical capacity, and promoting a culture of corporate sustainability. However, as voluntary initiatives, their reach is still limited, and their adoption varies across sectors and regions. The challenge going forward is to move progressively toward more robust mandatory regulatory frameworks that consolidate these efforts and ensure broader and more uniform implementation.
Limited access to climate finance
Latin America receives only about 17% of international climate finance, which limits the ability of many companies to invest in clean technologies and decarbonization processes. Despite growing interest from the private sector, barriers remain, such as a lack of clear incentives, difficulties in structuring financeable projects, and poor coordination between public and private actors. This limits the implementation of large-scale climate actions, especially in emission-intensive sectors.
Lack of investment in management tools
Many companies do not prioritize investment in digital tools which facilitate the collection, analysis and reporting of emissions data. This prevents technical staff from focusing on more tactical and strategic tasks, such as planning reduction projects or integrating ESG criteria into decision-making.
At WayCarbon, we have been committed to innovation as a driver of sustainability for almost two decades. As a result of this commitment, we have developed a technological platform that today stands as a fundamental tool for managing emissions data and ESG indicators, the WayCarbon Ecosystem (formerly Climas).
The system allows companies to measure, report and reduce their emissions in an effective, transparent, and traceable manner, thus facilitating the integration of sustainability into the core of their business strategy and minimizing the risks of setbacks or errors in the process. To date, more than 100 companies have placed their trust in our solution year after year, which we continuously improve to adapt it to the ever-changing needs of our customers and to a constantly evolving regulatory and market environment, where reporting standards and structures are updated rapidly and with increasing rigor.
