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.