Global Emission Inventory for GHG’s and Air Pollutants
The Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) is an online emission database established by the Institute for Environment and sustainability within the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), in collaboration with the Netherlands Environment Assessment Agency (PBL).
EDGAR is a global data system that records and maps atmospheric emission trends in greenhouse gases and other air pollutants that result from human activities. It is used to study the effects of emissions on climate and air pollution. With this database the JRC provides global emission trends in support of:
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Policy makers: To analyse energy, climate and air pollution policies for industrialised and developing countries based on model runs and interpretations with databases used in-house at the European Commission;
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The scientific community: To analyse emission scenarios with an accurate, realistic representation and distribution of air pollutants for various emission source categories.
The global EDGAR emissions inventory covers all greenhouse gases included in the Kyoto Protocol (i.e. carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and the fluorinated gases, ozone precursor gases, acidifying air pollutants and particulate matter by source category at country level) gridded with about 10km by 10km resolution for the time period 1970 - 2008.
Black Carbon emissions caused by road transport in 2008
EDGAR uses the latest scientific information and data from international statistics on energy production and consumption, industrial manufacturing, agricultural production, waste treatment/disposal and the burning of biomass in order to model emissions for all countries of the world in a comparable and consistent manner. EDGAR is also unique in its provision of historical emission data from 1970 onwards, covering several years prior the reference year for the Kyoto protocol, which is 1990 for most countries.
Calculating trends in emissions
Emissions are calculated for approximately 246 countries by taking into account activity data such as fuel consumption, number of animals, applied technologies for metal production and waste treatment, and installed abatement measures such as cyclones, filters and catalysers. These estimates follow IPCC guidelines and standards for emissions and emission reduction effects and include all standard UNFCCC emission sources.
In July 2012, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL) launched their annual report 'Trends in global CO2 emissions', which found that global emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) reached an all-time high of almost 34 billion tonnes in 2011. In China, average emissions of CO2 increased by 9% to 7.2 tonnes per capita, while in the European Union, they dropped by 3% to 7.5 tonnes per capita. At 17.3 tonnes per capita, the United States are still among the greatest emitters of CO2.
Recent results from the JRC’s Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) and statistics on energy use, gas flaring and cement production, show that anthropogenic global emissions of CO2 reached an all-time high of nearly 34 billion tonnes in 2011.
The top emitters in 2011 were China (29%), the United States (16%), the European Union (11%), India (6%) the Russian Federation (5%) and Japan (4%).
CO2 per capita emissions from fossil fuel use and cement production from the top 5 emitting regions.
The Annex I range given by the two dashed lines demarcates the highest (Australia)
and lowest (France) per capita emissions from major industrialised countries.
CO2 per capita emissions from fossil fuel use and cement production from the top 5 emitting regions.
The Annex I range given by the two dashed lines demarcates the highest (Australia)
and lowest (France) per capita emissions from major industrialised countries
For further information, see the July 2012 Highlight of the month.
Publications:
- Oliver JGJ, Janssens-Maenhout G and Peters JAHW (2012), Trends in global CO2 emissions; 2012 Report, The Hague: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency; Ispra: Joint Research Centre
- Janssens-Maenhout G., Petrescu R., Muntean M., Blujdea V. (2010). Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Methods to Support International Climate Agreements. GHG Measurement & Management, Volume 1, Issue 2, doi: 10.1080/20430779.2011.579358.
- Olivier J.G.J., Janssens-Maenhout G., van Aardenne J. (2010). Part III: Greenhouse gas emissions: 1. Shares and trends in greenhouse gas emissions; 2. Sources and Methods; Total greenhouse gas emissions. In: "CO2 emissions from fuel combustion 1971-2008", 2008 Edition, pp. III.1-III.47. International Energy Agency (IEA), (2010).
Contact Info:
Greet Janssen-Maenhout - Tel: +39 (0332 785831); E-mail: greet.maenhout(at)jrc.ec.europa.eu
