Annual
The figures are published in three versions; in May year n, aggregated preliminary national figures for year n-1 are published. In February year n, revised preliminary national figures for year n-2 distributed by source and detailed final national figures for year n-3 distributed by source are published. The whole time series is recalculated annually as new information becomes available.
National figures.
215 - Division for energy and environmental statistics
Not relevant. (No particular data collection.)
Not relevant.
Annual reports to UNFCCC: (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and ECE (Economic Commission for Europe): Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP).
The purpose of the emission inventory is, among other things, to be a tool for the public authorities, in connection with measure assessments and documentation of the fulfilment of international environmental obligations. In addition, the inventory gives information to media, schools and other institutions or organisations. The figures from the inventory may vary, depending on the purpose, because there are different definitions and requirements:
The Ministry of the Environment has given the Climate and Pollution Agency (Klif) the responsibility of reporting emission figures to protocols under UNFCCC and CLRTAP. Klif is also responsible for the emission factors from all sources and for the emission figures from large industrial plants. Statistics Norway (SSB) is responsible for the calculations. A tight cooperation between SSB and Klif is necessary to ensure the quality of the statistics.
Statistics Norway is responsible for the activity data, the calculations in the emission models and for the inventory published as official statistics, including quality checking of the results.
Statistics Norway has developed the emission model, with financial support from the Klif. SSB also finances the current annual statistics work, while Klif finances most of the refining and further development of the model.
The first emission inventory was made in 1983, containing emissions of SO2 and NOX. NMVOC emissions were first calculated in 1987 and NH3 emissions in 1991. 1987 was also the first year with calculation of CO2 emission figures. Since then, calculation methods for other greenhouse gases have gradually been developed, first for methane and nitrogen oxides, later for SF6, PFCs og HFCs. Gradually, emissions of heavy metals and POPs and particulate matter were also included. All the calculations have been revised since the first time. The national emissions have time series going back to 1973. Statistics Norway has time series for the national emission figures in the StatBank database.
It is always possible to make improvements since most of the emissions data are based on calculations. The emission model is continuously being developed. New results from research on emissions to air are regularly evaluated. New emission factors are taken into use, errors in the model are discovered and corrections made. These changes lead to new, revised time series each year, and results that are published earlier are not longer valid. Some recalculations, for example of methane emissions from landfills or emissions from use of fuel wood, may result in large changes.
When new components are added to the model, input data for all years back to 1990 are fed into the model. This is done to obtain consistent time series. For the same reason, recalculations for all years are made if the calculation method or the emission factors are changed. Recalculations will also be necessary when new technology is taken into account.
The emission inventory gives emission figures by industry, source and energy commodity. The emissions are calculated annually on national levels. The inventory makes it possible to identify the major sources of pollution for each component and to follow emission trends over time. This is important when considering which measures to implement in order to limit and reduce emissions, and afterwards to evaluate the effect of the implemented measures.
The emission inventory and its basic statistics are mainly used for five different purposes:
1. International reporting
2. As a tool for public administration and the authorities
3. Research and education/teaching
4. Market, resource and environmental mapping
5. General information
International reporting is an important use of the official statistics. Figures from the emission inventory are being used by the Ministry of the Environment and the Climate and Pollution Agency (Klif) in reports to UNFCCC and CLRTAP. These figures state whether Norway has reached its targets or not. Also Eurostat, OECD and others are given access to the figures via UNFCCC and UNECE.
The emission inventory is used by the authorities in environmental information documents, such as Regjeringens miljøvernpolitikk og rikets miljøtilstand (The Government's environmental policy and the state of the environment in Norway), which is published every second year, and also in different SDIs: Sustainable Development Indicators.
Statistics Norway also makes use of the emission inventory, both in order to make forecasts/prognoses and as a basis for economic analyses. The project NOREEA (Norwegian Economic and Environmetal Accounts) including NAMEA (National Accounts Matrix including Environmental Accounts) shows the connection between economic and environmental development.
Different public and private institutions use the statistics in studies connected to emission technology, pollution, health and economy.
The emission inventory is an important source of information for newspapers, other news media, environmental organisations and other non-governmental organisations.
As is standard policy for the publication of official statistics, no one has access to the statistics before the time of publication. However, the work with the emissions inventory is a cooperation between Klif and SSB. This means that the quality control of the result tables includes Klif who then has access to the statistics before other users. This access is strictly limited to the divisions that are involved in the work with the inventory. The Ministry of the Environment and Klif's directors do not have access to the results until they are released officially by SSB.
The statistics include emissions from Norwegian territory (specified under section 2.1) and present emission surveys for a number of different pollutants:
Greenhouse gases
Carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), PFCs (perfluorocarbons), HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) and sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).
Acidifying pollutants
Nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and ammonia (NH3).
Heavy metals and POPs
PAH (polycyclic organic hydrocarbons), dioxins, mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), arsene (As) and chromium (Cr).
Other pollutants
Particulate matter (TSP, PM10 and PM2.5), NMVOC (non-methane volatile organic compounds) and carbon monoxide (CO).
The emission figures are furthermore distributed between emission sources (e.g. manufacturing, households, agriculture).
A detailed description of the data sources for the national air emission surveys is presented in Sandmo (2011). National emissions to air are mainly estimated from existing statistics on activity level and emission factors (emission per unit activity). Emissions from large industrial plants are based on data from the plants' own reports to the Climate and Pollution Agency (Klif). No particular measurements or other kinds of special data collection take place in connection with the preparation of national emission statistics. The regional figures are made by breaking down the national figures.
See 3.4. Collection of data.
Statistics Norway does not collect data specifically for the emission inventory. The goal for data collection for the emissions inventory is that these statistics shall be based on already existing registers and statistics. However, it may be necessary to make some adjustments for this special purpose.
Data reported directly to Klif (emission data from point sources, data from large industrial plants) are quality checked by Klif. In addition, a consistency check is done by SSB. SSB is responsible for quality control of the activity data and emission figures from the model, but Klif also participates in this control. The controls can be divided in two parts:
1. Revision/quality control of input data, for example information about emissions per industrial plant from Klif.
2. Revision/quality control of the emission figures (output from the model).
1. Revision/quality control of input data The possibility to check the input data varies, depending on the collection methods and who collects the data. The controls will mainly be:
*To compare data with figures reported from the same unit earlier
*To collect missing data
*To contact industrial plants regarding obvious errors or by asking questions about the reported figures
*Lack of data in time series can be interpolated or filled in by use of estimates. Before SSB makes use of estimates, Klif must approve the method. The primary statistics in SSB are submitted to fixed revision routines. There is no additional control of primary data.
2. Revision/quality control of the emission figures (output from the model) The national figures must be controlled source by source, by comparing with figures from previous years or figures for the same year calculated one year ago. Breaks in the series must be explained.
For comparisons between different calculations for the same year, the target is that all changes should be explained as change in data or method. For comparisons between different years, the target is to explain all large changes in the time series.
In the revised version of the model, the main part of the quality control will be to check the input data.
In addition to the controls carried out by SSB and Klif, the different countries' greenhouse gas emissions are subject to annual controls (reviews) carried out by a team of persons appointed by IPCC. There are three different types of reviews: desk review, centralised review and in-country review. Desk review means that the team members go through the inventories, sitting at their respectable working-places in their home country. In the centralised review, the review team meets in the UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn. In-country review means that the review team visits the actual country and carries out the examination there. Norway had an in-country review in 2002 and 2007.
Every year, Klif publishes the National Inventory Report (NIR). In accordance with UNFCCC, the countries shall report emissions of greenhouse gases by source, for the period from 1990 until year n-2 (year n is the reporting year). The report and the CRF tables (Common Reporting Format) are set up according to instructions for annual reports given by UNFCCC. The report describes trends in the development for each gas, recalculations last year, uncertainties and quality assurance. It also lines up areas for further improvements. Klif on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment is responsible for the report, and SSB contributes with text and the completed CRF tables.
The emission inventory is mainly based on calculations. Only a few industrial plants continuously measure their emissions. Some plants have periodic measurements that are scaled up to annual levels. For other plants and other sources than manufacturing industries, the emission figures are calculations, often of the type:
Emission = Activity data * emission factor
Activity data can be for example tonnes of fuel oil used by an industry, while the emission factor expresses the emission of a component in proportion to the activity (for example tonnes of CO2/tonne fuel oil). The emission factors are usually based on measured values, national or international.
The estimation methods are described in detail in Sandmo (2011).
The general rule for publication is that data cannot be released unless they contain information from at least three or more participants (i.e. industrial enterprises etc). This rule can be waived if permission from the parties involved is granted. Such data can be published if they are already made available for the public elsewhere.
Methane (CH4): 21
Nitrous oxide (N2O): 310
HFC-32: 650
HFC-125: 2 800
HFC-134: 1 000
HFC-134a: 1 300
HFC-143: 300
HFC-143a: 3 800
HFC-152a: 140
HFC-227ea: 2 900
C2F6 (PFC-116): 9 200
C3F8 (PFC-218): 7 000
Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6): 23 900
SO2 * 1/32
NH3 * 1/17
The international agreements deal with the specific gases, not the total acid equivalents.
The national emission model includes four dimensions
Published tables:
Emission by source
Emission by industry (NACE)
NAMEA (NACE according to Quarterly National Accounts)
Tables used in reports to UNFCCC/Kyoto and UNECE/Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollutants.
From February 2012 onwards, we have reorganized our classifications in order to get better correspondance with our tables and graphs.
The emission figures are based on many different data sources. These sources may contain data from different registers or data reported from industrial plants. The model uses factors from various analyses. The results from the model will therefore reflect the uncertainties in the source material and the calculation methods that are used.
The statistics are based both on administrative sources, complete surveys and sample surveys. Calculation of sample variance, skewness or non-response for the emission figures is not relevant.
The statistics are based both on administrative sources, complete surveys and sample surveys. Calculation of sample variance, skewness or non-response for the emission figures is not relevant.
On a national level the pollutants have been ranked according to uncertainty in Sandmo (2011) as follows:
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In Rypdal and Zhang (2000) the uncertainties in the greenhouse gas emission figures are quantified. An updated version is given in Flugsrud and Hoem (2011).
One of the main goals with the emission inventories is to follow the development in the emissions over a period of time. In order to make this possible, recalculations are done for all years to obtain consistent time series when new factors or better methods are taken into account.
International definitions, in addition to guidelines to calculation and reporting of emission data lead to comparable emission inventories in the different countries.
The statistics are produced in a flexible model format which gives the opportunity to adjust to different national (e.g. sector grouping) and international standards for emission data. Important international standards include IPCCs CRF classification for reporting to UNFCCC and Nomenclature for Reporting (NFR) for reporting to the LRTAP convention. At the same time, the statistics form a basis for analyses, both in Statistics Norway and other institutions.
http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/01/04/10/
http://www.ssb.no/01/04/10/ (in Norwegian)
More figures available in StatBank.
The statistics are published electronically (articles, tables and figures) on Statistics Norway's website.
Recent publications:
Finstad, A., K. Flugsrud, G. Haakonsen og K. Aasestad (2004): Vedforbruk, fyringsvaner og svevestøv. Resultater fra Folke- og boligtellingen 2001, Levekårsundersøkelsen 2002 og Undersøkelse om vedforbruk og fyringsvaner i Oslo 2002, Reports 2004/5, Oslo/Kongsvinger: Statistics Norway.
Flugsrud, K., G. Haakonsen og K. Aasestad (2004): Vedforbruk, fyringsvaner og svevestøv. Undersøkelse om vedforbruk og fyringsvaner i Trondheim og Bergen 2003, Reports 2004/27, Oslo/Kongsvinger: Statistics Norway.
Rypdal, K. and L.-C. Zhang (2000): Uncertainties in the Norwegian Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventory, Reports 2000/13, Oslo/Kongsvinger: Statistics Norway.
SFT (2007): Revised National Inventory Report 2007, Norway, Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2005 Reported According to the UNFCCC Reporting Guidelines, Oslo: The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority.
Flugsrud, K. and B. Hoem (2011): Uncertainties in the Norwegian greenhouse gas emission inventory, Reports 2011/35, Oslo/Kongsvinger: Statistics Norway.
Sandmo, T. (2011): The Norwegian emission inventory 2011. Documentation of methodologies for estimating emissions of greenhouse gases and long-range transboundary air pollutants, Documents 2011/21, Statistics Norway.
Not relevant.
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