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NARSTO Workshop on Innovative Methods for Emission Inventory Development and Evaluation University of Texas, Austin October 14-17, 2003 |
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Poster 19: Establishment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Emission Factor Database
Joe Mangino
US EPA, OAP, Non-CO2 Gases and Sequestration, Washington, DC
Kiyoto Tanabe
IPCC NGGIP-TSU, Hayama, Japan
Tinus Pulles
TNO, Netherlands
Katarina Mareckova
SHMU, Slovakia
The quality of national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories depends substantially on reliable emission factors. Many countries have indicated that an easily accessible public database on GHG emission factors with supporting scientific information would help improve the quality of GHG inventories in a costeffective way. Sharing of research information would also enable countries to use or develop emission factors that are more applicable to their national circumstances than previously published Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default emission factors without having to bear the associated research costs. A database on GHG emission factors with supporting scientific information would also support the future review and update of the Revised 1996 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories under the IPCC-NGGIP. In respond to this need, the Technical Support Unit (TSU) of the IPCC has developed an emission factor database (EFDB). The primary goal of the EFDB is to grow towards a recognized library, where users can retrieve and submit emission factors and other parameters with background documentation that can be used for estimating GHG emissions in national inventories. The IPCC EFDB was recently released after a two-year development period that began in July of 2000, and which included the participation of inventory experts from many countries in the design, review, and pilot testing of the database. The EFDB currently provides a web-based platform for submission and retrieval of new emission factor and parameter data, with future plans for CD ROM version availability. An EFDB Editorial Board has also been established with the objective of ensuring all emission factors and other parameters contained in the EFDB are scientifically sound according to pre-defined criteria.