1

Atmospheric Concentrations

Source: CDIAC

270

290

310

330

350

370

1740 1790 1840 1890 1940 1990

ppm

v

Keeling and Whorf, 1999Mauna Loa, Hawaii

Neftel, et al., 1994.Siple Station ice core

CO2

700

900

1,100

1,300

1,500

1,700

1830 1870 1910 1950 1990

ppbv

Kalil and Rasmussen, 1994.Record from six globallydistributed locations.

Etheridge, Pearman,and Fraiser, 1994.Law Dome ice core.

CH4

0

1

2

3

4

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000

pptv

Sturges et al., Dome Concordia, 2000

SF6

2

CGE Greenhouse Gas Inventory Hands-on Training Workshop

for the Asian Region

- Building an Inventory Management System -

Shanghai, China8-12 February 2005

Michael Gillenwater

4

What is an GHG Inventory Program for?

▪ Meet international obligations and expectations▪ Inform international, national, and local policy

making▪ Enhance credibility of national climate policies

through timely, transparent, and effective analysis and communication

▪ Foster consistent estimation approaches across government and private sector programs

▪ Respond to requests for information▪ Champion for high quality and objective inventory

information

5

What is quality?

▪ Transparency

▪ Completeness

▪ Comparability

▪ Consistency

▪ Accuracy

Transparency is the most fundamental. If you do not document, then there is no way to

demonstrate any of the other principles have been met.

6

Who cares?

▪ A wide audience of stakeholders...

▪ Decision makers and policy advisors

▪ International climate change community

▪ Provincial and local agencies

▪ The public and interest groups

▪ Businesses

▪ Scientists

7

National government

▪ What are the emissions and removals in other countries (both Annex I and non-Annex I)?

▪ What are the uncertainties in GHG estimates and are national inventories verifiable?

▪ What is our country’s contribution to global emissions & removals?

▪ What are current and projected emissions and removals from key industries?

8

National government (cont.)

▪ What are the effects of existing or planned policies and measures (including policies that aggravate emissions)?

▪ Is our country meeting its UNFCCC obligations?

▪ Is there consensus among government agencies and key stakeholders on our emission estimates?

▪ What are the relationships between reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental pollutants?

9

International community

▪ What is the your country’s contribution to global emissions and removals?

▪ Are your GHG estimates credible and transparent?

▪ Is your country meeting its UNFCCC obligations?

10

Scientists

Businesses & NGOs▪ How do we quantify and get credit for activities that reduce emissions or

sequester carbon?▪ What activities, industries, companies, or policies have been responsible

for significant increases or decreases in GHG emissions or removals?

▪ What are the priorities for research and measurement?▪ What are the scientific uncertainties in the emission and

sink estimates?

Inventory Program

Trading and projectsResearch & international

scientific community

LU/LUCF(Sinks policies)

Corporate, regional, & other inventories

Emission projections, climate & economic modeling

Domestic emission reduction programs

Negotiations& IPCC

Interest groups& the public

Linkages

12

▪ Ensure inventory processes are in compliance with COP decisions (i.e., Non-Annex I Party National Communications)

▪ Define and apply appropriate procedures for collecting, processing, communicating, and archiving inventory data and information

▪ Coordinate with relevant government departments, national agencies, and other organizations

▪ Provide inventory reports regularly▪ Ensure the quality of inventory data

Inventory management systems should...

13

Inventory management system

▪ Inventory planning

▪ Inventory preparation

▪ Inventory management

14

Inventory planning▪ Appoint national inventory agency▪ Allocate responsibilities for inventory preparation and

management▪ Develop schedule▪ Make arrangements to collect data from statistical

agencies, companies, industry associations, etc.▪ Create QA/QC plan▪ Define formal approval process within government▪ Develop review processes▪ Integrate continuous improvement

15

Example: U.S. Inventory Schedule

Submit Inventory

to UN

April 15thApril - September

Gather data and prepare initial estimates

Jan - Feb

Incorporate public

comments

Late December

Release for public

comment

Nov - Dec

Respond to interagencycomments

Oct - Nov

Expert andinteragency

review

Mid October

Prepare draft report

16

Inventory preparation▪ Identify key sources▪ Select methods and emission factors (GPG decision

trees)▪ Activity data collection▪ Manage recalculations▪ Implement QA/QC plan

▪ Basic checks should be completed on entire inventory (Tier 1) (see GPG Ch. 8)

▪ More in-depth investigations into key sources (Tier 2)▪ Documentation

17

Key categories

▪ A key source has a significant influence on a country’s total inventory in terms of level or trend in emissions (GPG, Ch.7)

▪ A key source also may be determined through a qualitative assessment.

▪ A key source category is one that is prioritized within the national inventory system

▪ In general, countries should focus on key categories for resources and improvements

18

Inventory management▪ Implement inventory review processes (e.g., expert

review, public review)▪ Obtain formal approval of final results and report

within government▪ Submission of report to UNFCCC▪ Make inventory information available to stakeholders

and respond to information requests▪ Archive all documentation and results▪ Continuous improvement feedback

19

Uncertainty▪ Uncertainty analysis is a subjective exercise, as it

relies to a large extent on expert judgment▪ Therefore, it is not a valid basis to compare

inventories between countries▪ Uncertainty analysis should be used as a way to

investigate the quality of your inventory data and identify ways to improve data quality

▪ You achieve this by investigating data quality▪ And communicating with data suppliers (e.g.,

statistical agencies)

Uncertainty investigations should be integrated within your QA/QC plan!

20

Resources

▪ IPCC Guidelines▪ Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines

▪ IPCC Good Practice Guidance

▪ IPCC LULUCF GPG

▪ New 2006 IPCC Guidelines

▪ UNFCCC reporting guidelines▪ IPCC Emission Factor Database (EFDB)▪ IPCC software

21

Other resources…

▪Inventory reports from other Parties

UNFCCC website/GHG Data

www.unfccc.int

Inventory related reports from other Parties

▪Online network of inventory professionals?

22

Closing remarks…

▪ A greenhouse gas inventory is more than just a report. It should be viewed as an broader analytical program.

▪ A “cookbook” approach to developing a GHG inventory is not practical. There will always be a large and essential need for expert judgment at all levels of the process.

▪ A well constructed inventory should include enough documentation to allow readers to understand the underlying assumptions and to reconstruct the calculations.

23

Please feel free to email me in the future:

Michael GillenwaterEnvironmental Resources Trust

mgillenwater@ert.net

– Thank you –

24

ACTIVITY DATA

ENERGY

US EPA

Energy Use

EIA, Dept. of Energy

Bureau of Transportation

Statistics, Dept. of Transportation

Bureau of Economic Analysis, Dept. of

Commerce

Bureau of the Census, Dept. of Commerce

Petroleum and Natural Gas Industry Associations, Trade Groups, and Review PanelsUS EPA, National Risk

Research Management Research Laboratory

Industry Journals

Department of Defense

Minerals Management

Service, Dept. of Interior

International Bunker Fuels

The EIA collects national and worldwide fuel production and consumption data for all energy-related activities, including stationary combustion.

The EIA publishes a variety of monthly and annual reports and maintains databases which are accessible via the Web.

Provide mine-specific historical information about methane gas-recovery and gas usage.

State Petroleum and Natural Gas

Agencies

Mine Safety and Health Administration

Mining Companies

Supply information about mine-specific ventialtion systems and gas sales data.

to USEPA

The DoD maintains data on fuel consumption for the military. Data is usually acquired via communications with each branch.

Center for Transportation Analysis, ORNL, Dept. of

Energy

Federal Highway Administration

Federal Aviation Administration

Compile data on vehicle numbers and types and provide estimates for domestic transportation fuel consumption.

to USEPA

Collect data on transportation fuel combustion, including fuel consumed by jets and sailing vessels travelling internationally.

Coal Mining

Provide information about natural gas and petroleum industries, including production, infrastructure statistics, and consumption.

Mobile Combustion

Petroleum and Natural Gas

EPA

Flow of Energy

Data

25

Emission Inventory Basics

▪ An emission inventory is an accounting of the amount of air pollutants discharged into the atmosphere. It is generally characterized by the following factors:▪ The chemical or physical identity of the pollutants

included▪ The geographic area covered▪ The institutional entities covered▪ The time period over which emissions are

estimated▪ The types of activities that cause emissions

26

Inventory Agency Responsibilities

▪ A single national entity to be responsible for the overall inventory

▪ Arrangements with collaborating entities that contribute data, research, estimate emissions or provide expert reviews

▪ Define legal authority to collect and disseminate data necessary for the preparation of the inventory

▪ Ensure inventory processes are in compliance with COP decisions

▪ Define and apply procedures for collecting data, preparing inventory, communicating results, submitting report, and archiving

▪ Liaise among government departments, national agencies, ▪ Ensure the implementation of QA/QC

27

Goals

Develop high quality inventory at regular intervals (e.g., annually, every 2-4 years, etc). Resources are focused on the most significant

emission sources in the country