Giel Linthorst is Director Sustainable Finance at Guidehouse Consulting Inc. and Executive Director of PCAF Secretariat. Over 20 years in consulting, he has supported policy makers and local authorities to improve the energy performance of their building stock and to secure a healthy and comfortable living. Next to energy and climate policy, Giel has also worked with various companies (utilities, real estate developers, food & beverage, telecom etc) to develop and implement ambitious energy and climate strategies. Currently, Giel combines his broad background in policies and industries with the financial sector. As head of PCAF Secretariat, he and his team support the initiative to develop the first-ever global carbon accounting standard for the financial industry, and to provide technical support to the PCAF participants to apply this standard and report on the GHG emissions of their loans and investment portfolios. Measuring financed emissions is the foundation for financial institutions to steer and decarbonize their portfolio in line with the Paris Agreement. Giel Linthorst has supported various financial institutions on carbon accounting of their loans and investments, developing climate strategy, and taking actions to decarbonize their mortgage, real estate and corporate lending and investment portfolios.