1. IPCC Good Practices Guidance and the electronic reporting of GHG inventory tables: useful tools for improving the quality of national GHG inventories of non-Annex I Parties UNFCCC Workshop on the use of the Guidelines for the Preparation of National Communications from non-Annex I Parties Roberto Acosta UNFCCC secretariat Racosta@unfccc.int Port Louis, Mauritius, 8-11 April 2003

2. GHG inventories of non-Annex I Parties (I) l 99 Parties used the UNFCCC guidelines of decision 10/CP.2 adopted by COP 2 in 1996 to prepare their national GHG inventories in their NC. l Approximately 80 Parties reported that they used the 1996 IPCC Guidelines for preparing their inventories. l This contributed to report more comprehensive GHG inventory data than the minimum explicit requested by the previous UNFCCC guidelines in Table II.

3. GHG inventories of non-Annex I Parties (II) l 67 Parties (of 83) used the summary table 7A of the 1996 IPCC Guidelines or a modified similar table to report their inventories. l 31 Parties also reported the IPCC worksheets providing information on the numerical background data used to prepare their inventories. This contributed to a more complete and transparent reporting. l The reporting of the IPCC summary, sector-specific tables and worksheets is facilitated by the use of the IPCC software.

4. GHG inventories of non-Annex I Parties (III) l The most common problem/constraint encountered in preparing their inventories were related to the scarcity and quality of activity data and the difficulties for preparing GHG inventories on a continuous basis by stable national teams. l Many Parties reported limitations of the IPCC Guidelines methods for estimating GHG emissions and removals in accordance to their national circumstances (in all sectors, but mainly in LUCF sector) and inadequacy of defaults emission factors.

5. GHG inventories of non-Annex I Parties (IV) l The gaps in activity data and the difficulties to periodically update the national GHG inventories by stable teams is mainly related to the lack of resources. l The gaps of IPCC methods and emission factors are related to the fact that the 1996 guidelines require to be updated. l In addition, these guidelines do not address the national circumstances of non-Annex I Parties to the same extent than the ones of Annex I Parties do.

6. How to improve the quality of inventories from methodological point of view? There are several tools that might contribute to enhance the quality of national inventories without substantially increasing the level of resources needed to prepare them, such as: More precise guidance for preparing and reporting; Software for electronic reporting; Comparison of inventory data across countries with similar national circumstances

7. More precise guidance (I) IPCC Good Practice Guidance (GPG) supplement positively 1996 IPCC Guidelines. It constitutes a step forward for improving the quality of national GHG inventories. Why can a more precise guidance enhance the quality of inventories? For preparing inventories:

8. More precise guidance (II) It provides more precise guidance in using methods, including Tier 1; It overcomes many 1996 IPCC Guidelines gaps; It provides a tool (key source determination) to prioritize the use of scarce resources; It provides simple and useful QA/QC guidance such as Table 8.1 of the GPG report; and It might provide inputs for the calculations of GHG emission reductions in preparing CDM projects. For preparing inventories (IPCC GPG):

9. More precise guidance (III) UNFCCC guidelines adopted by decision 17/CP. 8 improve the previous UNFCCC guidelines (10/CP. 2) The improved guidelines reflect the improvement in reporting GHG inventories by non-Annex I Parties from the 1 st submitted NC to the 99 th. It constitutes a step forward for improving the quality of reporting national GHG inventories. For reporting inventories (UNFCCC guidelines):

10. More precise guidance (IV) More precise guidance (IV) The UNFCCC guidelines request the use of 1996 IPCC Guidelines and, among other elements, encourage: To apply the IPCC GPG; To provide information on used methods and brief information of the sources of EF and AD; To use Tables 1 and 2 in reporting their inventories striving to present more complete information (similar to the IPCC table 7A); To report electronically sector-specific tables and worksheets

11. Why does more precise guidance contribute to improve the quality of inventories? Why does more precise guidance contribute to improve the quality of inventories? Inventory compilers know exactly what information should be prepared and how to prepare it Inventory compilers can plan better and in advance the preparation of inventories The experience of Annex I Parties in reporting inventories using decisions 3/CP. 5, in particular with the electronic reporting of the CRF, demonstrates the benefits of a more precise guidance.

12. Experience with Annex I Parties (I) Experience with Annex I Parties (I) 20 (19) 22 (22) 12 21 28 (22) 30 (27) 21 28 32 (23) 32 (29) 31 (31) Timeliness

13. Experience with Annex I Parties (II) Improved Quality of Reporting

14. Why does software for electronic reporting contribute to improve the quality of inventory? (I) Why does software for electronic reporting contribute to improve the quality of inventory? (I) IPCC software has facilitated a more complete and transparent reporting of many Parties without additional resources. It facilitates the compilation of inventories by national experts (more time available)

15. Why does software for electronic reporting contribute to improve the quality of inventory? (II) Why does software for electronic reporting contribute to improve the quality of inventory? (II) The IPCC software could be used almost straight forward to fulfil the reporting reporting encouragements of the UNFCCC guidelines (table 1 and 2 of the UNFCCC guidelines are very similar to Table 7A of the 1996 IPCC Guidelines) It allows for reporting sector-specific tables and worksheets almost (which provide useful background data information without extra work)

16. Why does comparison of inventory data across countries contribute to improve quality of inventories? Why does comparison of inventory data across countries contribute to improve quality of inventories? It facilitates the understanding of the calculations, the identification of mistakes and the + and – aspects of other national inventories; It facilitates the training/preparation of experts; It facilitates the technical assessment/review of national inventories

17. Relationship IPCC software - electronic reporting - comparison of inventory data IPCC software facilitates the reporting in electronic format Electronic reporting facilitates the processing of GHG inventory data Electronic reporting allows for integration of large inventory data in data base and its subsequent processing for data comparison It facilitates information sharing by national/regional experts.

18. What should be done to implement these actions? In a short term: Simple modifications of the IPCC software ( to use it to prepare the tables 1 and 2 of the UNFCCC guidelines) In a longer term: Elaborate tools that allow for automated processing and comparison of inventory data across countries (such as locator) that will facilitate the work of national experts.

19. Final remarks (I) If resources are available for preparing national communications and their GHG inventories, the new UNFCCC guidelines and the IPCC GPG will facilitate a higher quality preparation and reporting of GHG inventories of non-Annex I Parties The use of the IPCC software and the electronic reporting facilitate the preparation and reporting of national GHG inventories without the need of intensive resources The electronic reporting and processing of inventory data might also contribute to increase the quality of national inventories.

20. Final remarks (II) The preparation of better inventories is good for: the inventory experts, the analysis relating to several aspects of climate change at national level, the provision of useful inputs for the consideration and calculations of emission reductions in CDM projects.

21. Final remarks (III) The practice will convert some of encourageof the inventory section of the UNFCCC guidelines in should/shall. This will contribute to prepare and reporting better GHG inventories!!!