CGE Hands-on Training Workshop on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories for the Latin American and Caribbean Region Panama City, Panama, October 2004 Use of the IPCC GHG inventory software for reporting under the Convention Roberto Acosta Inventories subprogramme Methods, Inventories and Science Programme UNFCCC secretariat

GHG inventories of non-Annex I Parties l Most Parties used the summary table 7A of the 1996 IPCC Guidelines or a modified similar table to report their inventories. l 31 Parties also reported the IPCC worksheets providing information on the numerical background data used to prepare their inventories. This contributed to a more complete and transparent reporting. However, in most cases the worksheets were provided in hard copy and no electronically. The reporting of the IPCC summary, sector-specific tables and worksheets is facilitated by the use of the IPCC software.

How to improve the quality of inventories from methodological point of view? There are several tools that might contribute to enhance the quality of national inventories without substantially increasing the level of resources needed to prepare them, such as: More precise guidance for preparing and reporting; Software for electronic reporting; Comparison of inventory data across countries with similar national circumstances

Why does a more precise guidance could contribute to improve the quality of inventories? Why does a more precise guidance could contribute to improve the quality of inventories? Inventory compilers know exactly what information should be prepared and how to prepare it Inventory compilers can plan better and in advance the preparation of inventories The experience of Annex I Parties in reporting inventories using decision 3/CP. 5, in particular with the electronic reporting of the CRF, demonstrates the benefits of a more precise guidance.

Why does a software could contribute to improve the quality of the inventories ? (I) The IPCC software can facilitate a more complete and transparent preparation and reporting of inventories without additional resources. It facilitates the archiving of the existing inventory information and its subsequent use by the inventory compilers (even new ones). It facilitates the compilation and reporting of inventories by national experts (more time available)

Why does a software could contribute to improve the quality of inventory? (II) Why does a software could contribute to improve the quality of inventory? (II) The IPCC software could be used almost straight forward to fulfil the reporting requirements, recommendations and encouragements of the UNFCCC guidelines (table 1 and 2 of the UNFCCC guidelines are very similar to Table 7A of the 1996 IPCC Guidelines) It allows for reporting sector-specific tables and worksheets (which provide useful background data information without extra work)

Why does comparison of inventory data across countries contribute to improve the quality of inventories? Why does comparison of inventory data across countries contribute to improve the quality of inventories? It facilitates the understanding of the calculations, the identification of mistakes and the + and – aspects of other national inventories; It facilitates the training/preparation of experts; It facilitates the technical assessment of national inventories

Relationship IPCC software - electronic reporting - comparison of inventory data IPCC software facilitates the reporting in electronic format Electronic reporting facilitates the processing of GHG inventory data Electronic reporting allows for integration of large inventory data in a data base and its subsequent processing for data comparison and assessment It facilitates information sharing by national/regional experts.

What should be done to facilitate further the reporting of GHG inventories? Short term: Modifications of the IPCC software ( to use it to prepare the tables 1 and 2 of the UNFCCC guidelines) and to include an optional module to report LULUCF in accordance with IPCC- GPG for those Parties that choose to do so. Longer term: Elaborate tools that allow for automated processing and comparison of inventory data across countries (such as locator) that will facilitate the work of national experts.

Complementing information on the use of the software The following slides aim to give a general picture on the use of the software before the sectoral hands-on training:

Example in the use of the software  “Sector” Energy (Module 1)- Transport  “Sector” Energy Table Overview  “Sector” Industrial Process (Module 2)  “Sector” Agriculture (Module 4)  “Sector” Land-Use Change and Forestry (Module 5)  “Sector” Waste (Module 6)  Sectoral Reports and Summary Tables The same sequence as the IPCC presentation with examples from Trinidad and Tobago 1990 data

Start – double click the icon that leads to the “Overview.xls” file Fill in the contact information Click on the “Sectors” to get a drop-down menu with the sector modules Select the sector to start input of values Select inventory year and the corresponding format (or of a previous year that contains data or a new empty one). After choosing a template, the software will be open. Excel will load the file: “OVERVIEW.XLS” (the main screen is shown below) It contains the reporting tables from the Reporting instructions and will be open at all times when you are running the software

“Sector” Energy (Module 1) - Transport Type in values step by step The values are directly transferred to the Energy overview table 1.2 Calculations are made automatically See an example of the three shown values on the next slide

“Sector” Energy Table Overview” The values from the previous slide

Saving the Modules When a sector is complete, save the Module when prompted as above

“Sector” Industrial Process (Module 2) Complete the data for Industrial Processes step by step. You can also move through the worksheets using the drop- down menus. When completed, save module.

“Sector” Agriculture (Module 4) Complete the data for Agriculture step by step. You can also move through the worksheets using the drop- down menus. When completed, save module.

“Sector” Land-Use Change and Forestry (Module 5) Complete the data for LUCF step by step. You can also move through the worksheets using the drop- down menus. When completed, save module.

“Sector” Waste (Module 6) Complete the data for Waste step by step. You can also move through the worksheets using the drop- down menus. When completed, save module.

Sectoral Reports and Summary Tables Sectoral Reports and Summary Tables (I) Values from Energy 1-2 Overview table Values transferred automatically to Sectoral table 1s1

Sectoral Reports and Summary Tables (III) Values circles have been automatically transferred from the previously seen sectoral reports to the summary report – Table 7A

Use of the software (I) Bear in mind the several warnings to the users included in the software manual. The software is protected in order to prevent formulae and tables to be modified. This protection may be deactivated (disabling protection) in order to make necessary modifications in the sheet, but BE CAREFUL: Do not force introduction of values. Make sure all formulas or links stay correct, and when finish protect the sheet again (Protection function is located in the editing menu) Introduce informative footnotes on the software sheets (e.g information on method uses if they are not the defaults ones used in the software or any other basic information that increase transparency)

Use of the software (II) Possibilities: Use the disable and protection functions to include additional information, such as national fuels, emissions/methods not considered in the 1996 IPCC worksheets, notation keys, footnotes, without affecting the software functions. E.g: Disabling protection for Worksheet 1-2 Energy Overview and assigning the TJ consumption of other fuels appearing in column “AO Total Other Fuels” to each corresponding column (liquid, solid or gas) according to the type of fuel added. Ensuring correspondence between real values for different fuel categories and sectors between Worksheets 1-2 and 1-3s1. After that, protecting the sheets whose protection had been disabled in order to make changes.

Use of the software (III) Summary tables and overview table The software (at Overview.xls) includes the report by sectoral tables (tables for each module from 1s1 to 6s1) and the tables for inventory summary (one for detailed summary- 7As1, 7As2, 7As3- and another one for a short summary- 7Bs1). All tables are filled in automatically as they get completed on the different worksheets. However, notations key such as NA (not available) and NO (not occurring) should be used when there are not estimates, and therefore they should be included manually.

Use of the software (IV) Summary tables and overview table “Overview” Table 8A, is used to carry out a self evaluation on the quality and comprehensive nature of the inventory. In order to do this, the notation accompanying the Table is used. No special difficulties arise when filling in this table in the software, which is done manually.

Use of the software (IV) Summary tables and overview table Do not rely on the automatic fill in (s everal causes may provoke mistakes, and the resulting total for emissions in each sector, and in the inventory may be altered). Carry out a meticulous revision of the working sheets, and whether your results have been correctly transferred to the report by sector sheets. Afterwards, make sure there is an adequate correspondence between the working sheets and the report by sector sheet. Carry out the same check up on the latter as well as on the summary sheets. Remember that you must include manually in the worksheets and the sectoral sheets the emissions obtained in source categories for which the software does not provide worksheets (such as CO 2 from flaring), or those emissions whose estimates were worked out through different methods not included in the software.

Final remarks (I) If resources are available for preparing national communications and their GHG inventories, the new UNFCCC guidelines and the IPCC GPG will facilitate a higher quality preparation and reporting of GHG inventories by non-Annex I Parties. The use of the IPCC software will facilitate the preparation and reporting of national GHG inventories.

Final remarks (II) The IPCC software should be used in way that estimates obtained with national methods or using national fuels and categories, as well as, any other relevant national information, can be included. The electronic reporting and processing of inventory data could also contribute to increase the quality of prepared and reported national inventories.