WMO
INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE
UNEP
SCIENTIFIC ASSESSMENT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Co-chairs: Sir John Houghton (UK) and DrL G Meira Filho (Brazil)
Ourref: M/IPCC/12/13/4
Date as postmark
Dear Colleague
Draft IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
It gives us great pleasure to send to you the enclosed three volumes which comprise the Draft
IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories:
Volume 1 Reporting Instructions
Volume 2 Workbook
Volume 3 Reference Manual
Much effort has been invested in the Draft Guidelines to ensure that they incorporate the optimum
currently available methods for developing consistent national greenhouse gas emissions
inventories hi all countries. We are grateful for the substantial help provided to this work by the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the International Energy
Agency (IEA).
We are distributing copies of the Draft Guidelines for review to a wide range of IPCC national
contact points and to scientific and technical experts who have participated or expressed interest
in the IPCC/OECD programme. We would appreciate it very much if you were able to find time
in your schedule to review this draft. If so, please read the 'Important Information for
Reviewers' which accompanies this letter. This provides important guidance on the submission
of review comments.
The review comments will be taken into account in producing the final version of the Guidelines,
which will be presented for formal approval by the Scientific Assessment Working Group (WGT)
of IPCC at its fourth plenary session in September 1994. The Guidelines will then be conveyed
to the tenth session of the IPCC, scheduled for November 1994, for adoption by the Panel.
Meteorological Office Hadley Centre London Road Bracknell RG122SY United Kingdom
Telephone: 0344-856615 International: +44-344-856615 24-hour telephone: 0344-856888
E-mail: bacallander@email.meto.govt.uk Fax: 0344-856912 Tlx: 849801 WEABKA
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The Draft Guidelines were originally developed in English. Volumes 1 and 2 have been
translated into the five other languages of the United Nations (financial limitations have delayed
translation of Volume 3, which is currently available in English only). We are particularly
interested to receive suggestions or corrections concerning the language of the non-English
versions, in addition to comments on the substance and presentation of the Draft Guidelines. If
you are proficient hi both English and one of the other five languages, and would be willing to
compare in detail the original English version with a translated version in order to ensure
consistency, please let us know so that we can send both language versions.
The draft IPCC Workbook methodologies (Volume 2) are available as DOS-compatible,
spreadsheet-based software which can be used to begin to develop a national inventory. The
software also includes default activity data. The software, available on 3.5in or 5.25in diskette,
can be obtained from the address shown in "Important instructions for Reviewers".
May we take this opportunity to express our thanks for your contribution to this programme.
Yours sincerely,
Sir John Houghton and Dr L G Meira Filho
Co-chairs of IPCC WGI
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with Soy/Canola Ink on paper that
contains at least 50% recycled fiber
Printing support provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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Important Information for Reviewers of the Draft IPCC Guidelines
for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
Background
Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change accept a number of commitments
which include:
• "Develop, periodically update, publish and make available to the Conference of the Parties, in
accordance with Article 12, national inventories of anthropogenic emissions by sources and
removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol, using
comparable methodologies to be agreed upon by the Conference of the Parties";
Article 4.1(a)
• "Formulate, implement, publish and regularly update national and, where appropriate,
regional programmes containing measures to mitigate climate change by addressing
anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases not
controlled by the Montreal Protocol "
Article 4,l(b)
The IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories are intended to assist the Parties
directly in implementing these requirements. In anticipation of this need, the Guidelines have
been developed through a joint IPCC/OECD programme in co-operation with the International
Energy Agency (IEA).
Nature of this draft
The accompanying draft was prepared on the basis of input from a wide range of technical
experts and international conferences and workshops over the period 1990 to 1994. It is
believed to represent a major advance on previously-available methodologies for estimation and
reporting of greenhouse gas inventories, in terms of its wide international applicability and its
user-friendly style of presentation. Much effort has been devoted to removing errors and to
ensuring accurate cross-referencing. However that process is not yet complete and, hi examining
this document, you the reviewer are being asked to play an important and active part hi the
evolution of the final version of the Guidelines.
The IPCC review process
The peer review process is one of the most important elements in the strategy adopted by IPCC
for establishing a broad international input to its reports, and all those actively participating hi the
review process will be acknowledged in the papers presented to the WGI plenary at which the
Guidelines will be approved.
Review comments will be passed to the technical authors who originally produced the relevant
section of the Draft Guidelines, In many cases issues raised by review comments will be
uncontroversial. In cases where there is a valid diversity of opinion, however, the authors will
be asked to consult a wider range of experts.
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Review comments which express agreement with sections of the draft Guidelines, particularly
where the issue is a complicated or sensitive one, are positively encouraged. This helps to avoid
the danger of important text, which may be widely but silently accepted by most reviewers, being
adversely altered in response to one or two critical comments. Reviewers are also asked to
suggest, wherever possible, solutions to errors or discontinuities that they find rather than simply
noting their existence.
The Draft Guidelines were originally developed in English. Volumes 1 and 2 have been
translated into the five other languages of the United Nations (financial limitations have delayed
translation of Volume 3, which is currently available in English only). We are particularly
interested to receive suggestions or corrections concerning the language of the non-English
versions, in addition to comments on the substance and presentation of the Draft Guidelines. If
you are proficient in both English and one of the other five languages, and would be willing to
compare in detail the original English version with a translated version in order to ensure
consistency, please let us know so that we can send both language versions.
Timetable
The timetable for the Guidelines is at Annex 1. The last date for receipt of review comments is
Monday, 16 May, though it greatly helps the whole process if review comments are submitted
as soon as possible
Submission of review comments
Enclosed with this letter is a proforma 'Cover sheet for review comments'. Please use this as a
master copy for photocopying. It will greatly ease the recording and handling of your review
comments if you use separate cover sheets for comments relating to different sections of the
Guidelines.
All review comments should be sent to:
Paul Schwengels
(Guidelines Review Comments)
The IPCC/OECD Greenhouse Gas Inventories Programme
OECD Environment Directorate
2, rue Andre" Pascal
75775 Paris CEDEX 16
France
Fax:+33 145 24 78 76
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Annex 1
Timetable for review and approval of IPCC Guidelines for
National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
This version dated: 18 Feb 1994
Date (1994)
Feb 21- Mar 4
Mar 10- 25
Mar/Apr/May
May 16
May 16 - July 1
My 4-22
July 25-29
Early August
Sep 13-16
Nov 10-12
Event or process
Printing and distribution of English version of Volumes 1-
3 of the Guidelines by USA
Printing and distribution of non-English version of
Volumes 1 and 2, and English version of Volume 3 of the
Guidelines by Australia (Chinese), France (French),
Netherlands (Russian and Arabic) and Spain (Spanish),
Review of draft Guidelines by countries and submission of
comments to IPCC/OECD.
Last date for receipt of review comments
Assessment of review comments and compilation of list of
proposed amendments to (the English version of) the draft
Guidelines (Volumes 1-3).
Lists of proposed amendments produced for other five
language versions of the Guidelines.
Duplication of lists of amendments and preparation for
distribution
Distribution of lists of proposed amendments to IPCC
national focal points
Approval of Guidelines at IPCC WGI Plenary, Maastricht,
the Netherlands.
Ninth session of the IPCC, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Draft IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories
Cover sheet for review comments
Reference no
(to be inserted by IPCC/OECD)
Part I. Reviewer
Name
Affiliation (country or organisation)
Part n. Comment (use one cover sheet per substantive comment)
Summary of substance
Language:
of comment
Volume1 :
Section :
Page:
Number of pages attached to this cover sheet:
Part III. This space is for use by IPCC/OECD
Action taken by IPCC/OECD
Date received:
Handled by:
Action taken by technical authors
Additional comments
Volume 1 = Reporting Instructions
Volume 2 = Workbook
Volume 3 = Reference Manual
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