Quality Control and Quality Assurance in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the Establishment of the National Inventory System September 2004, EEA, Copenhagen Sarah Baggott (National Environmental Technology Centre - netcen - Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3ED, UK)

Overview of presentation Summary of QA/QC plan in the UK QC in the UK inventory QA activities Quality Manual Verification of the inventory Quality Management System Resources National Inventory System

QA/QC programme and plan (i) Netcen is responsible for coordinating QA/QC activities Current system complies with the Tier 1 procedures outlined in the Good Practice Guidance (IPCC, 2000) Activities carried out each year as the inventory is compiled include: - Documentation - Database entry - Checking - Recalculation - Uncertainties - Archiving Future: Compliance with Tier 2 procedures

QA/QC programme and plan (ii) -log, number all incoming data -check data against previous years -use colour coding in spreadsheets -Full referencing -check units, time series consistency -second person check -document on QA/QC page -methodology-online manual -Time series consistency -sector/pollutant expert check -Global check -Explain large changes -Database fuel totals- vs-National statistics -Database-read only -mass balance checks -check database CRF output -CRF totals -check for large changes from previous year -check tables and numbers -Second person check -database files -spreadsheet files -source data -manuals -report Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Data collection Spreadsheet Development Database entry CRF tables National Inventory Report Preparation Archiving Ongoing/year-round activities -Peer reviews -review of emission factors

Quality Control (i) IPCC define quality control as - a system of routine technical activities to measure and control the quality of the inventory as it is being developed

Quality Control (ii) Core elements of Quality Control: Referencing What data is used Where does it come from Documentation How is data used What assumptions are used Checking Are the results robust/Defendable Identify errors What is used? How is it used? Are we Sure?

Quality Control (iii) Documentation Contacts Database On-line manual of methodologies National Inventory Report Core Database and spreadsheets Interlinked Single repository (UNFCCC & UNECE) Checking/Review Procedures Mass balance checks within the spreadsheets Fuel entries in the database against DUKES totals Year to year, sector by sector - need to explain any changes

Quality Control (iv) Recalculation Revisions to methodologies mean emissions for all previous years re-calculated Uncertainties Assessment made following IPCC good practice guidelines (Tier 1/2) Archiving After each reporting cycle, all database files, spreadsheets, electronic documents frozen and archived Lektreiver holds most paper records and has associated database Computer records For key databases, 60 minute rolling backup QA/QC of data suppliers - Requesting details of procedures from data suppliers meetings with major data providers

Referencing & Documentation Data Request: (referenced) Data Source: Contacts DB: Who, What, When Raw Data: From, What, When Emission Factors: (referenced) Activity Stats.: (referenced) Emission: EF reference Activity Reference Documentation (referenced) Reports (referenced)

Checking Data Request: Raw Data: Compilation:Dissemination: Data checked on receipt Checking before use Coverage Units Sources Mass balance checks Annual Compilation Checks Pre-Delivery Checks Methodology Consistency vs Last year Consistency between UNECE/UNFCCC External data sources Energy Balance Activity data consistency Sector aggregation Inclusions/Exclusions Reporting formats Consistency between UNECE/UNFCCC Emissions

Quality Assurance Quality Assurance (QA) activities - include a planned system of review procedures conducted by personnel not directly involved in the inventory compilation/development Independent Review - Peer review - In-depth review

Selection of special QA activities Verification of the halocarbon inventory Met. Office Review of halocarbon estimates AEAT Peer Review of fuel combustion sources of CO 2 Tim Simmons Review of landfill CH 4 emissions Nottingham University In Depth Review (IDR) of 3NC UNFCCC ISO audit by Lloyds

Quality Manual On-line manual Contains instructions on all aspects of compiling the inventory QA/QC section explaining what checks need to be carried out and when

Verification Verification of emissions is carried out by the UK Met. Office High frequency observations of the Kyoto gases are carried out at Mace Head (Ireland) Lagrangian dispersion model (NAME) used to estimate emissions Table shows verification of the UK emissions inventory estimates (3 year average) in Gg yr -1 GasNAMEGHGI CH N2O HFC-134a HFC-152a

Quality Management System (i) Inventory has been subject to ISO 9000 since 1994 (it is now subject to BS EN ISO 9001:2000) -emphasis placed on authorisation of personnel to work on inventories, document control, data tracking, spreadsheet checking and project management Audited by Lloyds and the AEAT internal QA auditors Also subject to an internal QMS designed specifically for the Inventory

Quality Management System (ii) Integration of QMS into Inventory preparation: 1.Spreadsheet Checks 2. Database checks 3.CRF checks 4. National Inventory Report checks

Resources needed for QA/QC and QMS People - Expertise (sector and pollutant) in order to conduct checks - Appropriate expertise for reviews Time - Spreadsheets and database population take longer - To meet strict deadlines, large team needed for busy periods

UNFCCC 15 April EU MONITORING MECHANISM 15th January & 31 March Inventory Compilation & QA/QC Data Gathering Checking Interpretation Calculation DEFRA Statistical Datasets (AEA Technology:- netcen) Energy & Fuel Statistics (DTI) Pollution Inventory (Environment Agency) Transport Statistics (DfT) Emission Factors (IPCC Guidelines) UnOffical Datasets: Industry & NGOs (UKPIA, UKOOA Other Trade Associations, Individual Companies) Emission Factors Guidebooks & Literature Official Datasets: Unofficial Datasets: LLUCF inventory (CEH/FC/DEFRA) Agricultural Inventory (IGER/DEFRA) Other Inventory Development (Contracts/DEFRA) MOU* Development (2005/6) MOU* Development (2004/5) UK Emission Inventory Database Defra Contracts CRF NIR Key Controlled Data Flow Data Quality Agreements Data Sources: Xxx... DEFRAs Zone of Authority AEA Technology Zone of Authority UK National Inventory System (DEFRA) * MOU = Memorandum of Understanding

National Inventory System (ii) Degree of formalisation, legal character (MOUs): - Establishment of a formal agreement between Defra and data providers, defining and allocating specific responsibilities and requirements. (e.g.Choice of methods, activity data, emission factors, QA/QC) SectorExisting arrangementsLegal requirements? Energy and fuel statisticsDigest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) Formal agreement with DTI on format and timing of data required Transport statisticsTransport statistics of GBAgreement with DfT on vehicle fleet data Industrial processesEA Pollution Inventory, industrial sectors Formal agreement with EA, agreements with industrial sectors Fugitive emissionsSCOPEC InventoryFormal agreement with UKOOA LUCFNational inventory of woodland and trees, land use change stats Formal agreement with Forestry Commission and ODPM Agriculture and WasteAgriculture in the UK, June census,Waste Management Strategy Internal Defra procedures and formal agreement with EA

Acknowledgements GHGI – funded by Defra and Devolved Administrations Jim Penman – Defra Project Officer John Watterson – GHGI Project Manager