United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
National Risk Management
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/SR-97/123 January 1998
Project Summary
User's Guide for GloED Version
1.0, the Global Emissions
Database
Janice E. Stafford, Luis A. Bravo, and Robert L. Bass
The EPA Office of Research and De-
velopment has developed a powerful
software package called the Global
Emissions Database (GloED). GloED is
a user-friendly, menu-driven tool for
storage and retrieval of emissions fac-
tors and activity data on a country-
specific basis. Data can be selected
from databases resident within GloED
and/or supplied by the user. The data
are used to construct emissions sce-
narios for the countries and sources
selected. References are linked to the
data to ensure clear data pedigrees.
The scenario outputs can be displayed
on thematic global maps or other
graphic outputs such as pie or bar
charts. In addition, data files can be
exported as Lotus 1-2-3, dBase, or
ASCII files, and graphics can be saved
as a .PCX file or exported to a printer.
The report describes GloED and how it
works. Supplied with the reports are
3.5 in. (8.9 cm) computer diskettes.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's National Risk Management
Research Laboratory, Air Pollution Pre-
vention and Control Division, Research
Triangle Park, NC, to announce key find-
ings of the research project that is fully
documented in a separate report of the
same title (see Project Report ordering
information at back).
Description of the Software and
the Report
The User's Guide describes EPA's Glo-
bal Emissions Database (GloED) software.
Some greenhouse gas emissions data are
supplied with the software. However, the
user is encouraged to use his own data.
The objective of this project is not to sup-
ply data, but rather to supply the tools for
generating, storing, and displaying data.
The software is supplied on 3.5 in. (8.9
cm) floppy diskettes and will run only on
personal computers (IBM PCs or compat-
ible computers). Other minimum computer
requirements are a 286 processor, 25 Mb
of available hard disk space, an EGA-
compatible display, and 400 kb of RAM
available to DOS prior to loading the pro-
gram. The GloED program installs itself
from the diskettes after prompting the user
to select a location for the program on the
computer's hard drive. A status bar indi-
cates percent completion of the installa-
tion.
GloED is a tool for generating estimates
of global emissions on a country- and
source-specific basis. Most of the emis-
sions data in GloED are the product of
two numbers: emission factors and activ-
ity data. The emission factor is the amount
of emissions per source (e.g., methane
emissions per coal mine). The activity data
are the number of sources (e.g., the num-
ber of mines). The emission factor can
vary spatially (e.g., by country), and the
activity data usually do. There is no provi-
sion for consideration of emission controls
except to the extent that they are integral
to the emission factor. However, the user
can construct "controlled" and "uncon-
trolled" datasets, or datasets with any other
assumptions. Note fields are provided for
documentation of the assumptions. GloED
stores emission factors and activity data
separately, each with its own reference,
allowing the user to evaluate or change
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only one component of the emission esti-
mate.
The user selects one or more data sets
and then has the option of narrowing the
scope of the inventory by selecting sev-
eral countries, source categories, and pol-
lutants. The final set of data selected is
called a scenario. GloED also can accept
data provided by user-input. Consequently,
the emissions inventories can be updated
as new data become available to the user.
GloED calculates an emissions inventory
based on the scenario generated by the
user.
The contents of the emissions invento-
ries can be reported in a variety of ways.
A text summary of the emissions inven-
tory will print a tabular breakdown of the
results by country, source category, and/
or pollutant. GloED also can develop a
color pie chart or bar chart showing the
countries with the greatest quantity of es-
timated emissions in a form that allows
easy comparison among them. Finally,
GloED can project the results of an emis-
sions inventory onto a global map, using
different colors to designate the type and
distribution of pollutants in the selected
scenario. These output formats can be
viewed on the screen, saved to a file, or
printed as hard copy. The data also can
be exported to Lotus, dBase, or ASCII.
Each level of the program has a menu
that allows the user to select the opera-
tions that the program will perform at that
level. The user can select the actions in
the menu by clicking a mouse cursor on
the desired menu selection, by navigating
the menu with the arrow and tab keys of
the computer keyboard, or by typing the
first letter of the selection. The GloED
main menu always appears along the top
of the screen and is a set of pull-down
menus, which means that the user can
"pull down" further options by selecting a
menu item. When the user selects a menu
option—either with a mouse or with the
cursor keys—GloED will lead the user to
the screens that apply to that menu op-
tion. The seven primary menu choices
and their general functions are listed be-
low. The primary and secondary menu
choices are presented in bold face.
Scenario—This menu allows the
user to Load a previously created
scenario, Generate a new scenario,
Combine elements of two or more
scenarios, Edit an existing scenario,
or Delete a previously created sce-
nario.
Database—This menu allows the
user to call up the database Editor
to add or modify data, or to Re-
build the database.
Mapping—Allows the user to dis-
play the emissions inventory in the
form of a thematic map.
Reports—Allows the user to gen-
erate reports of the results of the
inventory calculation in Text form
(as tables) or as graphics (Pie
charts or Bar charts).
Exports — Allows the user to use
GloED to automatically generate a
Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet or a dBase
file, or to export the data as an
ASCII file.
Tools — This option allows the user
to use the Units Converter of
GloED as a stand alone tool, or to
access the Lotus Importer.
Exit —Allows the user to leave the
program.
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J. E. Stafford, L A. Bravo, and R. L Bass are with Radian Corporation, Research
Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Lee L. Beck is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report consists of paper copy and computer product, entitled
"User's Guide for GloED Version 1.0, the Global Emissions Database,"
Paper Copy (Order No. PB98-120025; Cost: $41.00)
Computer Product (Order No. PB98-500580; Cost: $97.00)
The above products will be available only from: (cost subject to change)
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at
Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Center for Environmental Research Information
Cincinnati, OH 45268
BULK RATE
POSTAGES FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT No. G-35
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
EPA/600/SR-97/123
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