CHARACTERISTICS

Developing a valid GHG emission inventory is the first step in any mitigation activity. Emissions inventories are needed to document the baseline emissions from each power plant. They are used as the basis for defining GHG emissions targets, timetables for compliance and in verifying emissions reductions.

Developing baseline emissions that are consistent from plant-to-plant and are properly documented so that they adhere to international requirements can be tricky and expensive. Several international initiatives to develop guidelines, together with baseline data activities within various developing countries as part of their preparing their national communications/country studies for submission to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), provide information on alternative methods and issues in preparing a GHG emissions inventory.

SIZE:
Internationally developed guidelines have been developed to inventory emissions on a local- and national level.

FEATURES:
Methods range from simple estimates using emission factors to complex models.

COST:
Could be significant if original data collection is required.

CURRENT USAGE:
Countries party to Annex I have established emissions inventories.

POTENTIAL USAGE:
Assistance to other countries is available through programs such as the U.S. Country Studies Program.

ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH IMPLEMENTING ACTION

• Baseline emissions inventories can be inconsistent unless they are developed using standardized protocols.
• It can be expensive to develop complete emissions inventories.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT

EMISSION EFFECT:
    

CONDITIONS FOR EMISSIONS MITIGATION:

• Emissions inventories must be standardized and complete.
• Need accurate real-time emissions monitors to measure progress in reducing emissions against the baseline.

EMISSION ESTIMATE:
N/A

COST-EFFECTIVENESS:
N/A

SECONDARY EFFECTS:
N/A

RESOURCES

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the States Workbook to provide guidance on methodologies for estimating GHG emissions.
• The IEA/OECD/IPCC issued Programmes on National GHG Inventories that provides guidelines for national GHG inventories.
• IPCC, Draft Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.
• UNEP, Workbook on Performing GHG Inventories.
• World Bank, GHG Assessment Handbook: A Practical Guidance Document for the Assessment of Project-Level GHG Emissions–Methodology for Calculating Project-Specific GHG Impacts.

CONTACTS

International Energy Agency
Paris, France
Tel: 33-1 40 57 65 54
Fax: 33-1 40 57 65 59
http://www.iea.org

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
c/o World Meteorological Organization
Geneva, Switzerland
http://www.ipcc.ch

United Nations Environmental Program
Geneva, Switzerland
http://www.unep.org

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Katherine Sibold
Climate Information Outreach
Washington, DC
Tel: (202) 260-4314
Fax: (202) 260-0290
sibold.katherine@epamail.epa.gov
http://www.epa.gov

U.S. Country Studies Program
Christopher Bordeaux
Washington, DC
Tel: (202) 586-3070
Fax: (202) 586-3485
cbordeaux@igc.apc.org

The World Bank
Odil Tunali-Payton
Tel: (202) 473-6774
Washington, DC
http://www.worldbank.org