# What should I say when a verifier asks why one month's emissions spike?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/verifier-asks-why-a-month-looks-unusual

Give the operational reason with a record behind it: a big order, a breakdown that ran the diesel generator, a bill covering two months, or a fuel delivery that filled the tank. Then show the figure is right or correct it. A spike with no reason is where verifiers dig deeper.

## Usual causes

- Two billing periods in one bill.
- Grid outage and generator use.
- Bulk fuel delivery counted when bought, not burned.
- Higher production that month.

## Evidence

Production register, generator log, outage notices or the delivery challan. Note the explanation next to the figure before the audit.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible keeps each figure tied to its invoice, factor and method version, so a verifier can trace any number back to the document it came from.

- [Why emissions changed](https://senseible.earth/answers/verifier-asks-why-emissions-changed)
- [Fuel stock: bought or burned](https://senseible.earth/answers/fuel-stock-count-when-bought-or-burned)

Sources: [ISO 14064-3, verification of greenhouse gas statements (iso.org)](https://www.iso.org), [GHG Protocol Corporate Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard)

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.