IPCC Emission Factor Database UNFCCC Workshop on the

IPCC Emission Factor Database UNFCCC Workshop on the use of the guidelines for the preparation of national communications from non-Annex I Parties 10 April 2003 Port Louis, Mauritius Kiyoto Tanabe Technical Support Unit IPCC National Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme

Background Ø Reliable emissions factors – crucial in producing accurate greenhouse gas inventories Ø Emission factor development – costly, time consuming, requires much expertise Ø Sharing information – cost-effective => need for an easily accessible database on emission factors and other parameters used in inventory calculations

Nature of the EFDB Ø EFDB is meant to be a recognised library of GHG emission factors and other parameters. Ø Users can find emission factors and other parameters with background documentation or technical references that can be used for estimating GHG emissions and removals. Ø The responsibility of using this information appropriately will always remain with the users themselves.

Population of the database Ø At present: IPCC Defaults; CORINAIR data (to be checked) Ø To be populated with data from researchers/scientists/experts, research programmes, industry, national databases, … Ø Open to any proposals – the Editorial Board will assess the data for entry to the database using well-defined criteria

Future Ø Web-based database: CD-ROM annually or biannually; Ø Success – depending on input from the global scientific and inventory society; Ø User-friendliness and reliability; use and population (work of Editorial Board can influence both the efficiency of the population and reliability of data) Ø Continuous improvement on the content and functionality – experiences and feedback important