UNFCC Workshop on National Systems for GHG Inventories US GHG Inventory Planning Bill Irving, USEPA April 11, 2005

What is a National Inventory System? A national inventory system incorporates all the elements necessary to estimate GHG emissions and sinks, including institutional, legal and procedural arrangements High quality inventory that meets needs of policy-makers, researchers and public Inventory Planning Inventory Management Inventory Preparation

Importance of Developing a National Inventory System u Ability to develop high quality inventory at regular intervals u Resources are focused on the most significant emission sources in the country u Sources of data are identified, appropriately archived and regularly accessible u Emission estimates are continually improved; adhere to international guidance (e.g., IPCC Good Practice Guidance)

U.S. GHG Inventory Interagency effort led by EPA Interagency effort led by EPA Memorandum of understanding with Department of State (UNFCCC focal point) Memorandum of understanding with Department of State (UNFCCC focal point) EPA has developed national GHG inventories annually since 1991 EPA has developed national GHG inventories annually since 1991 Other government bodies involved: Other government bodies involved: Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Defense, Transportation etc. Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Defense, Transportation etc. Each Inventory undergoes improvements and changes year to year Each Inventory undergoes improvements and changes year to year

U.S. National Inventory System u Mature system: In place since u Only minor changes in basic structure u Additional QA/QC and uncertainty components u Decentralized approach u Individual specialists with sectoral expertise (“source leads”) manage each source category u Inventory coordinator aggregates emissions, prepares NIR and CRF tables, archives each inventory submission

U.S. National System Management Team Leif Hockstad Lisa Hanle u u Compile Estimates u u General QA/QC u u Cross-Cutting Analyses (e.g., key sources) u u Summary CRF Tables u u Conduct peer and public reviews u u Archive Inventory U.S. Inventory Management Team Source Leads: LULUCF Source Lead: Waste Source Leads: Ag Source Leads: IP and Solvents Source Leads: Energy Energy Dept., Universities, consultants Trade Associations, Consultants, U.S. Geological Survey Consultants, USDA, USFS Universities

Source Category Leads Source Lead Consultant Researchers Other Agencies Peer Reviewers Source Lead Tasks Estimates Write-Ups Annexes Disaggregated CRF Tables Uncertainty Calculations Source-specific QA/QC

Source Category - Soils Tom Wirth - EPA Affiliated Researchers Colorado State University Department of Agriculture Source Lead Tasks Estimates Write-Ups Annexes Disaggregated CRF Tables Uncertainty Calculations Source-specific QA/QC

USEPA Source Leads Energy Energy Leif Hockstad (CO2 combustion Leif Hockstad (CO2 combustion Sharon Saile (Non-CO2 mobile sources) Sharon Saile (Non-CO2 mobile sources) Lisa Hanle (Fugitives) Lisa Hanle (Fugitives) Industrial Processes Industrial Processes David Godwin (ODS substitutes) David Godwin (ODS substitutes) Debbie Ottinger (other F gas sources) Debbie Ottinger (other F gas sources) Jonathan Lubetsky (all other industrial processes) Jonathan Lubetsky (all other industrial processes) Agriculture Agriculture Kathryn Bickel (livestock) Tom Wirth (soils, rice etc.) LUCF LUCF Tom Wirth Kathryn Bickel Waste Waste Elizabeth Scheehle

Annual Inventory Cycle: Planning Inventory planning Inventory planning Selection of methodology, equations, models Selection of methodology, equations, models Overall conceptual approach; boundary selection Overall conceptual approach; boundary selection Data collection and generation of estimates Data collection and generation of estimates Inventory compilation Inventory compilation Process and synthesis of estimates Process and synthesis of estimates Internal data analysis Internal data analysis Formal review process Formal review process Review and comment by other U.S. agencies, experts, scientists Review and comment by other U.S. agencies, experts, scientists Review by general public Review by general public 30 day review period announced in the U.S. Federal Register 30 day review period announced in the U.S. Federal Register Clearance and submission to UNFCCC Clearance and submission to UNFCCC

Timeline for Preparation - 12 months Submit Inventory to UN April 15thApril - September Gather data and prepare initial estimates Feb - Mar Incorporate public comments Late January Release for public comment Late December Respond to interagency comments Nov - Dec Expert and interagency review Mid October Prepare draft report Submission on April 8, 2005

Planning improvements to Inventory Management Team Many arrangements detailed in Article 5.1 GL already in place Many arrangements detailed in Article 5.1 GL already in place National entity identified National entity identified Responsibilities assigned Responsibilities assigned Archiving system in place Archiving system in place Third Party Review established Third Party Review established Current planning focuses on: Current planning focuses on: Improvements to uncertainty and QA/QC tasks Improvements to uncertainty and QA/QC tasks

Source Specific Planned Improvements Usually start at individual source level with “Source Leads”, rather than top-down with GPG. Usually start at individual source level with “Source Leads”, rather than top-down with GPG. Good practice methods in place for most key sources prior to GPG Good practice methods in place for most key sources prior to GPG Most changes/recalculations are “refinements” rather than new methods Most changes/recalculations are “refinements” rather than new methods Methodological development and improvement Methodological development and improvement Investigation of new activity data, emission factors, and/or methodological advances Investigation of new activity data, emission factors, and/or methodological advances Possible new sources: Possible new sources: Wetlands Wetlands Enhanced oil recovery Enhanced oil recovery

Key Source Analysis: Example Level Assessment CO2 emissions from stationary combustion- coal: A key source CH4 emissions from manure management: Not a key source

Key Source Analysis: Example Trend Assessment Note: N20 Emissions from adipic acid production a key source according to Trend, but not Level Assessment. Should still be treated as a key source.

Third Party Review U.S. GHG Inventory undergoes 2 separate reviews within U.S. U.S. GHG Inventory undergoes 2 separate reviews within U.S. Expert Review Expert Review Select small group of contributors from government, industry, academia. Select small group of contributors from government, industry, academia. Roster needs to be updated annually Roster needs to be updated annually Public Review Public Review Large scale formal review by U.S. public Large scale formal review by U.S. public Announcement in Federal Register for 30 day comment period Announcement in Federal Register for 30 day comment period

Planning: What’s next? “Start-up costs”: US invested heavily in starting up its national system “Start-up costs”: US invested heavily in starting up its national system “Operating costs”: US just now starting to see benefits of national system in terms of lower resources necessary for annual inventory cycle “Operating costs”: US just now starting to see benefits of national system in terms of lower resources necessary for annual inventory cycle Next steps in inventory planning: Next steps in inventory planning: Doing more with less… Doing more with less… Using resources in other areas Using resources in other areas

Other areas Inventory management capacity building Inventory management capacity building Central America Central America Co-operation with multilateral efforts (UNDP, UNFCC) Co-operation with multilateral efforts (UNDP, UNFCC) Developing more disaggregated estimates for national policy considerations Developing more disaggregated estimates for national policy considerations Regional inventories, sectoral inventories, numbers of facilities/sources Regional inventories, sectoral inventories, numbers of facilities/sources Application of inventory expertise to other areas Application of inventory expertise to other areas Projections, economic analyses, global emission databases, market mechanisms Projections, economic analyses, global emission databases, market mechanisms