Quality Control and Quality Assurance in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the Establishment of the National Inventory

1. Quality Control and Quality Assurance in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory and the Establishment of the National Inventory System 02-03 September 2004, EEA, Copenhagen Sarah Baggott (National Environmental Technology Centre - netcen -Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 3ED, UK)

2. Overview of presentation • Summary of QA/QC plan in the UK • QC in the UK inventory • QA activities • Quality Manual • Verification of the inventory • Quality Management System • Resources • National Inventory System

3. QA/QC programme and plan (i) • Netcen is responsible for coordinating QA/QC activities • Current system complies with the Tier 1 procedures outlined in the Good Practice Guidance (IPCC, 2000) • Activities carried out each year as the inventory is compiled include: - Documentation - Database entry - Checking - Recalculation - Uncertainties - Archiving • Future: Compliance with Tier 2 procedures

4. QA/QC programme and plan (ii) Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug -log, number all incoming data -check data against previous years Data collection National Inventory Report Preparation Archiving Database entry Spreadsheet Development CRF tables -check tables and numbers -Second person check -Time series consistency -sector/pollutant expert check -Global check -Explain large changes -Database fuel totals-vs-National statistics -Database-read only -mass balance checks -database files -spreadsheet files -source data -manuals -report -check database CRF output -CRF totals -check for large changes from previous year -use colour coding in spreadsheets -Full referencing -check units, time series consistency -second person check -document on QA/QC page -methodology-online manual Ongoing/year-round activities -Peer reviews -review of emission factors

5. Quality Control (i) • IPCC define quality control as - a system of routine technical activities to measure and control the quality of the inventory as it is being developed

6. Quality Control (ii) Core elements of Quality Control: • Referencing • What data is used • Where does it come from • Documentation • How is data used • What assumptions are used • Checking • Are the results robust/Defendable • Identify errors What is used? How is it used? Are we Sure?

7. Quality Control (iii) • Documentation • Contacts Database • On-line manual of methodologies • National Inventory Report • Core Database and spreadsheets • Interlinked • Single repository (UNFCCC & UNECE) • Checking/Review Procedures • Mass balance checks within the spreadsheets • Fuel entries in the database against DUKES totals • Year to year, sector by sector - need to explain any changes

8. Quality Control (iv) • Recalculation • Revisions to methodologies mean emissions for all previous years re-calculated • Uncertainties • Assessment made following IPCC ‘good practice’ guidelines (Tier 1/2) • Archiving • After each reporting cycle, all database files, spreadsheets, electronic documents ‘frozen’ and archived • Lektreiver holds most paper records and has associated database • Computer records • For key databases, 60 minute rolling backup • QA/QC of data suppliers - Requesting details of procedures from data suppliers - 1-1 meetings with major data providers

9. Referencing & Documentation Contacts DB: Who, What, When Data Request: (referenced) Documentation (referenced) Reports (referenced) Data Source: Raw Data: From, What, When Emission: EF reference Activity Reference Activity Stats.: (referenced) Emission Factors: (referenced)

10. Checking Raw Data: Emissions Data Request: Compilation: Dissemination: Pre-Delivery Checks Annual Compilation Checks Checking before use Data checked on receipt Sector aggregation Inclusions/Exclusions Reporting formats Consistency between UNECE/UNFCCC Coverage Units Sources Mass balance checks Methodology Consistency vs Last year Consistency between UNECE/UNFCCC External data sources Energy Balance Activity data consistency

11. Quality Assurance • Quality Assurance (QA) activities - include a planned system of review procedures conducted by personnel not directly involved in the inventory compilation/development • Independent Review - Peer review - In-depth review

12. Selection of ‘special’ QA activities 2002-2004 • Verification of the halocarbon inventory • Met. Office • Review of halocarbon estimates • AEAT • Peer Review of fuel combustion sources of CO2 • Tim Simmons • Review of landfill CH4 emissions • Nottingham University • In Depth Review (IDR) of 3NC • UNFCCC • ISO 9002 2000 audit by Lloyds

13. Quality Manual • On-line manual • Contains instructions on all aspects of compiling the inventory • QA/QC section explaining what checks need to be carried out and when

14. Verification • Verification of emissions is carried out by the UK Met. Office • High frequency observations of the Kyoto gases are carried out at Mace Head (Ireland) • Lagrangian dispersion model (NAME) used to estimate emissions • Table shows verification of the UK emissions inventory estimates 2000-2002 (3 year average) in Gg yr-1

15. Quality Management System (i) • Inventory has been subject to ISO 9000 since 1994 (it is now subject to BS EN ISO 9001:2000) -emphasis placed on authorisation of personnel to work on inventories, document control, data tracking, spreadsheet checking and project management • Audited by Lloyds and the AEAT internal QA auditors • Also subject to an internal QMS designed specifically for the Inventory

16. Quality Management System (ii) • Integration of QMS into Inventory preparation: • Spreadsheet Checks 2. Database checks 3.CRF checks 4. National Inventory Report checks

17. Resources needed for QA/QC and QMS • People - Expertise (sector and pollutant) in order to conduct checks - Appropriate expertise for reviews • Time - Spreadsheets and database population take longer - To meet strict deadlines, large team needed for busy periods

18. UK National Inventory System (DEFRA) DEFRA EU MONITORING MECHANISM 15th January & 31 March (AEA Technology:- netcen) LLUCF inventory (CEH/FC/DEFRA) UK Emission Inventory Database CRF Agricultural Inventory (IGER/DEFRA) Defra Contracts Other Inventory Development (Contracts/DEFRA) NIR UNFCCC 15 April Energy & Fuel Statistics (DTI) Pollution Inventory (Environment Agency) Transport Statistics (DfT) Emission Factors (IPCC Guidelines) Official Datasets: Inventory Compilation & QA/QC Data Gathering Checking Interpretation Calculation MOU* Development (2004/5) StatisticalDatasets UnofficialDatasets: UnOffical Datasets: Industry & NGO’s (UKPIA, UKOOA Other Trade Associations, Individual Companies) Emission Factors Guidebooks & Literature Key Controlled Data Flow Data Quality Agreements MOU* Development (2005/6) Data Sources: Xxx... DEFRA’s Zone of Authority AEA Technology Zone of Authority * MOU = Memorandum of Understanding

19. National Inventory System (ii) • Degree of formalisation, legal character (MOU’s): - Establishment of a formal agreement between Defra and data providers, defining and allocating specific responsibilities and requirements. (e.g.Choice of methods, activity data, emission factors, QA/QC)

20. Acknowledgements • GHGI – funded by Defra and Devolved Administrations • Jim Penman – Defra Project Officer • John Watterson – GHGI Project Manager