Greenhouse gases

Provision of greenhouse gas inventory information for the Conference of the Parties The foundation for the UNFCCC inventory review process is the GHG information system (GHGIS), which comprises a database and related software tools developed by the secretariat to import, quality control, process, store, analyse and facilitate the review and the publication of GHG inventory information provided by Parties.

A need was expressed for equipment for monitoring GHG and climate.

Under a rigorous certification process, the cradle to grave greenhouse gas emissions are fully offset by accredited greenhouse abatement projects.

Estimates for Article 3, paragraphs 3 and 4, shall be clearly distinguished from anthropogenic emissions from the sources listed in Annex A to the Kyoto Protocol.

Developing and maintaining the GHG information system

6 References to greenhouse gases (GHG) in these guidelines for national systems refer to GHGs not controlled by the Montreal Protocol.

Record of progress and review of the pilot activity A yearly inventory could be prepared to keep track of the GHG emissions of COP and subsidiary body sessions, taking into account existing guidelines and standards for preparing GHG inventories for organizations.

Top down methods use average carbon emission factors per passenger kilometre calculated from historical data for large numbers of flights (e.g., at world level or by a global airline company).

The most important industry in terms of emissions is cement manufacture.

Box 1. Reduction of greenhouse gases through the use of ethanol in Brazil

Resources for supporting the review of GHG inventories

In Australia, a programme called Greenhouse Friendly provides businesses with an opportunity to market greenhouse neutral products or services, deliver greenhouse gas abatement and give Australian consumers greater purchasing choices.

Therefore GHG emissions from this subsector will grow.

If the designated operational entity determines that the project activity intends to use a new baseline or monitoring methodology, as referred to in paragraph 37 (e) (ii) above, it shall, prior to a submission for registration of this project activity, forward the proposed methodology, together with the draft project design document, including a description of the project and identification of the project participants, to the Executive Board for review.

These other emissions are estimated based on the estimated percentage of these emissions relative to total emissions at previous meetings.

About a third of reporting Parties also reported on measures to abate GHG emissions in the agriculture and waste sectors.

The SBI noted that such documents should also include additional information on net' GHG emissions.

To be eligible for accreditation under the Greenhouse Friendly programme, abatement projects must generate permanent, verifiable greenhouse gas emission reductions, avoidances or sequestration.

Therefore, ways and means to induce behavioural changes of the participants to UNFCCC meetings, selection of the venue based on green considerations, and green travelling of the participants, are not addressed, but could be dealt with in future.

Table 1. Preliminary estimate of greenhouse gas emissions from the tenth session of the Conference of the Parties

Transport is considered a major sector that will contribute to the growth of GHG emissions.

Although this assessment is not required by the guidelines, a few Parties provided comprehensive analyses covering the major sources of GHG emissions and the action plans that integrate all the measures in a consistent way.

The CGE discussed the outcomes of the hands on training workshop on GHG inventories held in China, and recommended the following to improve future GHG inventory workshops

Instead, the land use change and forestry sector is the biggest source of emissions (more than half of total GHG emissions in 1994), mainly due to desertification.

As these emissions are considered as part of the GHG emissions of the session they may be offset twice.

Reaffirming that anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol should be reported in a transparent, consistent, comparable, complete and accurate way,

The big opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is actually in urbanizing the suburbs.

Core work programme activities with prescribed deadlines Maintenance of systems, databases and clearing houses (e.g. GHG information system) Regulatory functions (e.g. CDM Executive Board, Compliance Committee).

Human impact threatens many species, with greater threats expected as a result of climate change induced by greenhouse gas emissions.

These climate models are used to investigate long term climate shifts, such as what effects might be caused by human emission of greenhouse gases.

The monitoring plan shall specify techniques and methods for sampling and measuring individual carbon pools and greenhouse gas emissions by sources included in the actual net greenhouse gas removals by sinks, that reflect commonly accepted principles and criteria concerning forest inventory The collection and archiving of all relevant data necessary for determining the baseline net greenhouse gas removals by sinks during the crediting period.

The build up of long lived greenhouse gases3 in the atmosphere is well documented and is well understood to result from human activities.

Introduction Responding to the increasing challenge of climate change, several United Nations bodies and international and national organizations are starting to estimate the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated from their meetings and office operations and to take steps to control and compensate for them.

The experience of WSSD shows that sponsors, delegations and IGOs are likely to be the main contributors to an offsetting scheme. The funds needed to offset the GHG emissions of COP and subsidiary body sessions depend on the carbon price that is used.

The major task relating to the GHG information system in 2004 and 2005 has been the development of the CRF Reporter.

Unlike nitrous oxide (N2O), xenon is not a greenhouse gas and so it is also viewed as environmentally friendly.

General description There is a need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which is leading to climate change.

They also present potential co benefits for GHG abatement.

They believe that these measures will result in reduction of growth of GHG emissions.

Greenhouse Friendly certification is provided only after an objective and independent verification process.

One global consequence of the loss of forest cover is its impact on greenhouse gas emission, with land use change (primarily deforestation) accounting for 20 per cent of man made greenhouse gas emissions.4 The Kyoto Protocol, which entered into force on 16 February 2005, establishes a number of flexible implementation measures two of those, Joint Implementation and the Clean Development Mechanism, may include afforestation projects.

It presents, for consideration by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), a method for estimating the GHG emissions generated from these sessions and proposes options and approaches for offsetting them.

These measures have the double advantage of increasing long term crop productivity and enhancing uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere or abating CO2 emissions.

Land use change and forestry More than two thirds of the Parties identified measures relating to the enhancement of removals of GHGs by sinks.