Comparative Analysis of Local GHG Inventory Tools World Bank: Dialogue on Cities and Climate Change 21 September 2009 GHG Inventory Tools: CO2-Grobbilanz And more 1
Key questions What are the methodological problems related to GHG accounting? How methodologies underling different GHG inventory tools differ? What are the critical variables to design a common measurement system? What are the options for harmonization? 3 1) Developing a framework for analysis Whose emissions are measured? What is measured? How are GHG measured? 4 2
Whose emissions are measured? Activity boundaries: the activities of the public authority? all the activities of the city? Territory boundaries: administrative boundaries of the city? greater agglomeration of the city? Data availability (No municipal data in Greece) 5 2) Identifying variables GHG measured / quantification methods / Measurement boundaries / Sectors / Functions / Usability etc the GHG Protocol corporate standard, World Resources Institute 2002, p. 7 6 3
3) Tools analysed CO2 Grobbilanz/EMSIG (Climate Alliance Austria, Energy Agency of the Regions) ECO2Region (Climate Alliance, Ecospeed) GRIP (Tyndall Centre, UK Environment Agency) Bilan Carbone (ADEME) CO2 Calculator (Danish National Environmental Research Institute, Local Government Denmark, COWI) Project 2 Degrees (ICLEI, Clinton Climate Initiative, Microsoft) 7 Sample results (1) What is measured? 8 4
Sample results (1) What is measured? Different GHG are measured The six GHGs of the Kyoto Protocol Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide Methane Nitrous oxide Sulphur Hexafluoride Hydrofluorocarbons Perfluorocarbons Other GHGs CO2 Grobbilanz Eco2-Region () () () () () GRIP Bilan Carbone CO2 Calculator Project 2 Degrees 9 Sample results (2) What is measured? Point of use: In general local GHG inventories are based on the territory principle: the GHG are allocated to the territory where they were emitted. Point of generation: In some cases, GHG that are emitted outside the territory are also included in the inventory because the activity principle is applied (e.g. flight of the Mayor). 10 5
Sample results (2) What is measured? Different scopes of measurement The allocation of electricity emissions illustrates how the scope of the measurement differs Point of use Point of generation CO2 Grobbilanz ECO2Region () () GRIP Bilan Carbone CO2 Calculator Project 2 Degrees 11 Sample results (3) How are GHG measured? Different Global Warming Potential values are used Second Assessment Report (1995) Third Assessment Report (2001) Fourth Assessment Report (2007) CO2 Grobbilanz Eco2-Region GRIP Bilan Carbone CO2 Calculator l Project 2 Degrees () () 12 6
Results (4) Lack of a common reporting standard GHG Protocol ISO ICLEI IPCC CO2 Grobbilanz ECO2Region () a () a () a GRIP () b Bilan Carbone CO2 Calculator Project 2 Degrees () c a) The inventories following the recommendations of the Climate Alliance are not consistent with the IPCC guidelines. However, the Eco2-Region tool allows also for the compilation of inventories that are consistent with the IPCC guidelines. b) GRIP inventories allocate electricity to the point of use and not the point of generation. Otherwise they are consistent with the IPCC guidelines. c) Project 2 Degrees states that the inventory is consistent with the IPCC. However, it is not clear whether some adjustment for the local level (and if so in which fields) have been made. 13 Results (4) Lack of a common reporting standard Different standards in use no standard d seems to be widely accepted Tools are not always consistent with IPCC guidelines: 1. Transparency 2. Completeness 3. Consistency 4. Comparability 5. Accuracy 14 7
Results Synopsis Variable GHG measured Global warming potential values Setting organizational boundaries Scope of measurement Sector definitions Quantifying emissions Range of variation Only CO 2 all GHGs 2 nd IPCC AR 4 th IPCC AR only operations controlled by the public authority all activities of the city only direct emissions direct, indirect and life cycle emissions Highly variable: e.g. transport Default emission factors regional/local emission factors 15 Results Synopsis Variable Range of variation T GHG measured Only CO 2 all GHGs T U T/U T T/U Global warming potential values Setting organizational boundaries Scope of measurement Sector definitions Quantifying emissions 2 nd IPCC AR 4 th IPCC AR only operations controlled by the public authority all activities of the city only direct emissions direct, indirect and life cycle emissions Highly variable: e.g. transport Default emission factors regional/local emission factors 16 8
Aiming at Interoperability: Objectives: ensuring interoperability of methodologies to allow cities to gauge their policies; facilitate an effective action-driven decision-making process The options: Enabling communication between existing tools development of an international standard adoption of a unique tool 17 Perspectives: Building bridges for municipal GHG inventories develop a harmonised protocol setting the purpose and scope of a GHG inventory in the context of the Covenant of Mayors Test different methodologies on the same cities to assess the critical sources of variability Associate experts and local governments towards a common platform for action 18 9
Thank you for your attention Gaell.mainguy@institut.veolia.org 10