Building a SHA-256 audit trail for emission factor provenance in WordPress

The verification pipeline described in your document plays a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and reliability of data used by GreenCalculus. Here's an overview of how this system works:

1. Hash Verification

Each source workbook is assigned a unique SHA-256 hash, which serves as a digital fingerprint for that file. This hash is generated using cryptographic algorithms to ensure it cannot be tampered with without detection.

Process:

• When a new version of a workbook is uploaded or issued by the relevant authority (e.g., EPA), its contents are hashed.
• The resulting SHA-256 hash is stored alongside the workbook's metadata, typically in a database or configuration file.
• During the verification process, the system re-computes the hash for the current version of the workbook and compares it against the expected value.

Benefits:

• Ensures that any unauthorized modifications to the data are detected immediately.
• Provides an immutable record of each workbook's contents at specific points in time.

2. Provenance Attribution

Every emission factor within the workbooks must be attributed with a _provenance block, which includes details about its source and verification status.

Process:

• When factors

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