European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

Global Protocol for Community-Scale GHG Emissions

(GPC)

Siegfried Zoellner, Project CoordinatorICLEI European Secretariat

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

Important Definitions• GHG Inventory:  An  accounting  summary  of  the  amount  of  greenhouse  gases  emitted  to  or 

removed from the atmosphere over a specific period of time (e.g., one year). Policy makers use greenhouse gas inventories to track emission trends, develop strategies and policies and assess progress.

• GHG Protocol: An internationally accepted greenhouse gas accounting and reporting standard (e.g.  what  to  include  and  exclude,  categorisation,  methods  of  calculations,  minimum requirements etc.)

• GHG Inventory Tool: A tool such as a spreadsheet  , software package  or online   tool which helps to assemble activity data (e.g. energy consumption) in a structured way and to convert these into GHG emissions for a GHG inventory.

• Reporting Platform: Publicly accessible database of  GHG inventories, targets and activities.

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

Year Chronology of climate relevant efforts - impacting on local governments1990          First Assessment Report of IPCC (FAR) 1992          Adoption of UNFCCC (no specific definition of greenhouse gases) 1993          Start of ICLEI`s Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Campaign, as the first global network dealing with local governments1995          Second Assessment Report of IPCC (SAR) 

         IPCC 1995 Guidelines for GHG Inventories 1996          IPCC Guidelines and Good Practice Guidance for GHG Inventories 1997          Adoption of Kyoto Protocol (Annex-A lists specific GHGs and sectors)

         First Global IEA Report on CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion 1998          Launch of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol 2001          Marrakech Accords 

         GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (First Edition)Third Assessment Report of IPCC (TAR) 2004          GHG Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard (Revised Edition) 2005          Formation of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group by London Mayor Ken Livingstone (C20 then)

         Launch of European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) 2006          Release of ISO14064 Standard

         IPCC Revised Guidelines         First Global Report of the Cities for Climate Protection Campaign         Partnership between C40 and Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) announced

2007          Fourth Assessment Report of IPCC          Launch of Global City Indicators Facility and The Climate Registry in the US          Launch of the Local Government Climate Roadmap

2008          Launch of Covenant of Mayors           Release of US Local Government Operations Protocol (LGOP)         Launch of ICLEI-US/CDP Cities Pilot Project 

2009          Launch of 1st global protocol for municipalities – the International Local Government GHG Emissions Analysis Protocol (IEAP)         Launch of Greenhouse gas Regional Inventory Project (GRIP)         Launch of Bonn Center for Local Climate Action and Reporting (carbonn ), joint United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) - ICLEI initiative

2010          Kick-off for ISO/TR14069          Launch of WB/UNEP/UNHABITAT Draft Standard          Launch of the Global Cities Covenant on Climate – the Mexico City Pact – during the World Mayors Summit on Climate         Launch of carbonn  Cities Climate Registry (cCCR) - a global reporting platform         Start of drafting of US Community GHG Protocol 

2011          Release of C40/CDP Cities Report          ICLEI-C40 MoU to design and develop GPC         Release of GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard         Release of 2011 Annual Report of carbonn  Cities Climate Registry 

2012          Launch of the Global GHG Community Protocol

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

Standards for local governmentsStandard IEAP SEAP GHG Standard

Organization ICLEI Europe CoM UNEP / WB / UN-HABITAT

Target group LGs worldwide (national supplements)

EU LGs LGs > 1 million pop.

Boundaries Government / Community Government / Community Community only

Reporting format (sectors)

Tailored to LGs (based on IPCC)

Tailored to LGs (based on

IPCC)

IPCC sectors

Separation by scopes

YES NO YES

Adapted from: UNEP, UN-Habitat, World Bank (2011) Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Cities: Comparison of International Inventory Frameworks.

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

GPC Components: Policy Framework

Policy Development - Comparison - Understanding Behaviour Choices - AggregationMeasurability - Accuracy - Relevance - Completeness - Consistency - Transparency

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

Local Government Inventories are a combination of national guidelines and corporate standards

Local Government

Corporate Standards

National Guidelines

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

GPC Components: Sources andboundaries of community GHG emissions

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch Scopes

• Scope 1 - direct emissions– Gas in boilers, petrol in vehicles– Methane from your farm animals– Emissions from your waste dumps, incinerators ..

• Scope 2 - indirect emissions– Electricity consumed– Heating and cooling energy consumed

•  Scope 3 – emissions by someone else while providing things for you– Making paper, computers, furniture & appliances– Growing food, and bringing it to your door– Taking away your waste

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch GPC Components: 2012 Accounting and Reporting Standard

Minimum standard of emissions sources for a city GHG inventory

2012 Accounting Standard [summary]

I. Stationary Units1. Residential2. Commercial/institutional     facilities3. Energy generation4. Industrial energy useII. Mobile Units1. On-road transportation2. Railways3. Water-borne navigation4. Aviation 5. Off-roadIII. Waste1. Solid waste disposal2. Biological treatment of waste3. Incineration and open burning4. Wastewater treatment and                     dischargeIV. IPPU            1. Industrial Processes

      2. Product Use

V. Additional

Key issues

- Appropriate linking of all Scope-1 emissions to respective IPCC categories

- Addressing Scope-2 for all sources as appropriate

- Different characteristics and capacities , use of notation keys

- Accounting approach (In-boundary, Proportional responsibility, origination)

- Avoiding Double counting (Scope-1 emissions from Energy Generation and waste)

- Limitations In estimating a full community-scale GHG emissions - quantification of trans-boundary flows of embodied energy, goods (key 

urban materials), and full life cycle assessments (Scope 3)

- Lack of sectoral guidance for accounting at the city level (e.g. AFOLU emissions )

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

GPC Components: Community GHG Profile

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

GPC Components: National Aggregation Reports

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy WatchGPC Components:

Accounting GuidanceGPC provides step-by-step guidance to collect, quantify, and report emissions data

Accounting Guidance: Example Provided (Residential Buildings, Stationary Fuel Combustion):

Data Collection Requirements Local governments will need to know:•types of fuels consumed by stationary units located within the community•quantity (volume) of each type of fuel combusted

Activity Data x Emissions Factor = GHG Emissions

Standard formula for GHG calculations in GPC

Activity Data Recommended - Obtain real consumption data for each fuel type. This information is typically monitored at the point of sale of the fuel.

Alternate - Where real consumption data are unavailable, model energy consumption data:

Alternate - Scale regional or national fuel consumption data down using population.

Emissions Factor Recommended - Disaggregated by fuel type and technology-specific for stationary combustion in buildings/facilities, typically provided by national environmental agencies or research institutions.

Alternate - Standard IPCC emissions factors for stationary combustion, by building type (Stationary Combustion)

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy WatchGPC Components:

Accounting GuidanceGPC provides step-by-step guidance to collect, quantify, and report emissions data

Accounting Guidance: Example Provided (Residential Buildings, Stationary Fuel Combustion):

Quantification Formula(s)

Where

Fuela,b = Fuel consumed in volume (e.g. gallons, liters, cubic meters, etc.), by fuel type for each building type

a = Fuel type (e.g.  natural gas, propane, fuel oil, etc.)

b = Building type (e.g. residential, commercial/institutional, industrial)

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch

GPC Components: Updates to the Standard

Institutionalized Future Updates to the 2012 Standard

• Core partners have institutionalized a process for incorporating updates and revisions to the 2012 Accounting and Reporting Standard. 

• Proposals for updates in future iterations of the 2012 Standard, will be primarily evaluated for adherence to and balancing of all six fundamental guiding principles of GPC.

• Updates envisioned:

– Developing National/Regional Supplements

– Updating the 2012 Accounting and Reporting Standard

– Enhanced Reporting Guidance

– Equity-based reporting of direct and indirect emissions

– Synergy with national governments and international processes

– Synergy with Business Community

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy WatchKey principles for GHG accounting

Standard principles as used for financial accounting should

underpin all climate reporting:

• relevance 

• completeness 

• consistency

• accuracy 

• transparency

Residential10%

Commercial 10%

Industrial34%

Transport36%

Waste10%

Community Sector Emissions

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch Emissions by Sector for LGs

IPCC/UNFCCC Sectors GPC SectorsGovernment Community

Energy

Stationary Energy Buildings and Facilities ResidentialStreet Lighting and Traffic

SignalsCommercial

Water and Wastewater Treatment, Collection and

Distribution (energy)

Industrial

Transport Government Transport TransportationEmployee Commute

Fugitive Emissions Other Other Industrial Processes Other Other Agriculture Other Agriculture/Other Land Use, Land use change and Forestry

Other Other Waste

Solid Waste Disposal Waste WasteBiological Treatment of Solid Waste

Incineration and Open Burning of Waste

Wastewater Treatment and Discharge

European NEtwork of Regional GHG Emissions and Energy Watch Scopes for emissions inventoriesScope Differentiations

GPC Definitions

Government – Operational Community - Geopolitical

Scope-1 Direct emission sources owned or operated by the local government.

All direct emission sources located within the geopolitical boundary of the

local government

Scope-2 Indirect emission sources limited to electricity, district heating,

steam and cooling consumption.

Indirect emissions that result as a consequence of activity within the jurisdiction's geopolitical boundary limited to electricity, district heating,

steam and cooling consumption.

Scope-3 All other indirect and embodied emissions over which the local government exerts significant

control or influence.

All other indirect and embodied emissions that occur as a result of

activity within the geopolitical boundary.