Revisions of the protocols

Potential elements for strengthening emission reporting

2

Background

• Revision of the emission reporting guidelines

• Conclusions from the ad hoc group of legal experts– The protocols do not currently contain other

provisions that would confer a further legally binding effect to the revised Guidelines

– Creation of more legally binding reporting obligations for Parties would necessitate negotiations of amendments

• Reporting national totals is strictly speaking the only legally binding element

3

Background

• TFEIP has been requested to point at elements to strengthen emission reporting in future revisions of protocols

• Provide suggestions to WGSR

• Will not undertake negotiations on these elements

• Will not provide any draft text

4

Background

• Purpose: meeting inventory objectives– Transparency– Consistency– Comparability– Completeness– Accuracy

• Emissions AND projections

5

The protocols

• Several protocols– Use in part a vague terminology – Different requirements in different protocols– No technical reason for these differences– Distant from accepted inventory terminology

• Would wish a more standardized and explicit terminology

• Specified requirements– Less flexibility– Need negotiations

6

Latest

• Level of emissions … using, as a minimum, the methodologies and temporal and spatial resolution specified by EMEP SB

• Levels of emissions in 1990

• Data on projected emissions

• Research: Improvement of emission databases/methods for estimating national emissions

7

The UNFCCC/Kyoto model

• Projection reporting separated from emission reporting

• UNFCCC/Kyoto generally points at further requirements for emission reporting elaborated in Guidelines

• UNFCCC Guidelines use ”shall” for a number of implicit elements

• Different legal interpretation between UNECE/UNFCCC

8

Suggested elements

• Use of methods specified in the Guidebook as adopted by EMEP SB– Allows Parties to use methods that they consider

better reflect national circumstances, provided that these methods are more accurate, are scientifically based and compatible with the Guidebook

9

Suggested elements

• Submit complete emission inventories covering all sources defined in the Guidebook (if applicable) and any national specific sources

10

Suggested elements

• Use of harmonized reporting templates as adopted by EMEP SB – At the level of disaggreation specified in these

formats

11

Suggested elements

• Submission of an informative inventory report (IIR) following the content and outline adopted by EMEP SB

12

Suggested elements

• Support research to develope emission factors and emission estimation methodologies for all pollutants and contribute to the development of the Emission inventory guidebook

13

Elements – for discussion

• A national inventory system/appointment of a designated emission expert

• A QA/QC plan

• The inventory review process

• Anything else?