COM/ENV/EPOC/IEA/SLT(2021)1
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2.
Current approaches to GHGinventory preparation and reporting This section provides an overview of how national GHG inventories are currently prepared and reported to the UNFCCC. This chapter first presents the key steps of the GHG inventory process. It then presents the tools presently used by Annex I Parties for their national GHG inventory reporting, i.e., the CRF tables and the CRF Reporter. Finally, the chapter presents experiences and approaches in generating GHG inventory data as input for the CRF Reporter and using the outputs of the CRF Reporter, for example, for research activities and reviews under the UNFCCC. To facilitate understanding of the concepts expressed in this chapter, terms in blue bold are included in the Glossary at page 10.
2.1. Preparing and reporting a national GHG inventory Preparing and reporting a national GHG inventory can be viewed as separate phases of the inventory process. To prepare a GHG inventory (phase one), relevant data is collected, and GHG estimates are produced according to established methodologies, i.e., the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories.2 To report a GHG inventory (phase two), the estimated emissions and other complementary information such as, e.g., methodologies adopted and informative background data are organised and formatted according to agreed reporting guidelines and communicated to national or international entities. Key steps of the process are illustrated in Figure 1. While the implementation of phase one (inventory preparation) is crucial to facilitate phase two (reporting), the mandate of the SBSTA is focused on phase two, and particularly on the development of CRTs to help Parties report results and background data used in and produced by phase one. This section provides an overview of the whole inventory process to provide relevant context.
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Throughout the years, the IPCC has developed and released methodologies for the preparation of national GHG inventories; such methodologies have been regularly updated so to reflect the latest science. Existing methodology guidelines include (in chronological order): Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 1996[19]), 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 2006[2]), 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 2019[20]). Supporting methodology to the main IPCC Guidelines include: Good Practice Guidance and Uncertainty Management in National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 2000[16]), Good Practice Guidance for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (IPCC, 2003[17]), 2013 Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories: Wetlands (IPCC, 2013[18]). To prepare national GHG inventories under the UNFCCC, only Annex I Parties are currently required to use the 2006 IPCC Guidelines. Under the ETF, all Parties will be required to use the 2006 IPCC Guidelines. The 2019 Refinement has not been yet been adopted by the CMA and may be used by Parties on a voluntary basis.
Unclassified
