The Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Land Sector and Removals Standard (LSRS) redefines how companies calculate and report land-based emissions and CO₂ removals. The standard is demanding, particularly when it comes to detailed data. Yet behind all its technical requirements lies one clear rationale: measure in order to act.
Th LSRS was published in January 2026 and takes effect on 1 January 2027. In a previous article, we explained what the standard involves and which companies it applies to: LSRS: the new standard reshaping carbon accounting from agriculture to biofuels | Pantarein.
In June 2026, the Land Sector and Removals Guidance (LSRG) followed, clarifying how the standard should be applied in practice. The LSRG makes one thing clear: the LSRS is not an accounting exercise to be squeezed into the final quarter before the deadline. The standard reaches deep into your data systems, supplier relationships and reduction strategy.
Aligning your greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory with the LSRS takes time and effort. Many companies are daunted by the data requirements: they call for information down to the level of commodity, origin and supplier – and over several years.
How do you collect those data, and how do you turn them into actions that make a difference? In this article, we explain the logic behind the standard, review the main bottlenecks and propose four actions you can start on today.
TheLSRS is extensive and full of technical detail, but its underlying logic is clear. The standard rests on three principles, all focused on action:
These three principles share a common foundation: data that are detailed enough for reporting. And that is where many companies are struggling today.
To capture emissions from land use and land-use change in your supply chain as well – enabling companies to measure their full carbon impact going forward – the LSRS introduces concepts such as spatial boundaries and significantly expands the GHG inventory. That expansion exposes the gaps in your data foundation. Two problem areas come up almost every time:
In other words, data quality becomes a differentiating factor. Without sufficiently detailed data, you cannot tell which interventions actually reduce your emissions, and you risk investing in actions that have little impact or whose effect does not show up in your emissions profile.
The LSRS takes effect on 1 January 2027, but adapting data systems and bringing suppliers on board takes time. Start updating your data systems now, so that you collect the right data from day one. Then put actions in place to improve data quality step by step, starting with the flows that have the greatest impact.
Not sure how detailed your data are today? Contact Pantarein. We will screen your GHG inventory and identify the biggest gaps.
The LSRS also encourages companies to look beyond their own value chain, bringing into view emissions that they do not cause themselves but can influence.
Atthe same time, the standard firmly prioritises action – rather than shifting emissions elsewhere. Switching suppliers simply moves the problem to another link in the chain. If you want to make a real impact, long-term engagement across the value chain is key. From more efficient land use to increased soil carbon storage or restoration after deforestation: the results of such actions only become visible after several seasons.
This requires:
Combined with an LSRS-compliant inventory, this is how you build a value chain that genuinely emits less. And that, ultimately, is what the standard sets out to achieve.
Hereare four actions you can take straight away:
Pantarein translates the LSRS into concrete steps: from a scoping exercise and an analysis of your GHG inventory to a plan for traceability and supplier engagement. Book a no-obligation conversation with one of our experts at mail@pantarein.be. Together, we will look at where you stand, where the key areas of attention lie and how you can optimise your carbon strategy.
