Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions

An industrial landscape with large power plant chimneys emitting smoke in the background. Text on the image discusses anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and related initiatives.
Global anthropogenic emissions of Greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O and F-gases) continue to be emitted at an annual rate that is not yet significantly decreasing. The global warming potential of each of the greenhouse gases and their long residence time in the atmosphere are causing increased surface temperature and climate change. The scientific community illustrated with inverse models and data assimilation how consistent the reported inventories and the atmospheric observations are, which is taken up also in few national inventory reports (e.g. UK, Switzerland, Australia).

Global CO2 Emissions

Figure: Gridded total CO2 emissions of EDGARv4.3.2 from anthropogenic sources excluding the land use, land-use change and forestry sectors for 2012 of Janssens-Maenhout et al. (2019).

ECV Products and Requirements

These products and requirements reflect the Implementation Plan 2022 (GCOS-244).

The requirements are found in the complete 2022 ECVs Requirements document as well: ECV Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

Products Anthropogenic CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel Use, Industry, Agriculture, Waste and Products UseAnthropogenic CH4 Emissions from Fossil Fuel, Waste, Agriculture, Industrial Processes and Fuel UseAnthropogenic N2O Emissions from Fossil Fuel Use, Industry, Agriculture, Waste and Products Use, Indirect from N-Related Emissions/Depo-sitionsAnthropogenic F-Gas Emissions from Industrial Processes and Product Use
 (*)UnitValuesValuesValuesValues
Horizontal ResolutionGCountry-levelBy country and sectorBy country and sectorBy country and sectorBy country and sector
B    
TBy country and sectorBy country and sectorBy country and sectorBy country and sector
Vertical ResolutionG ----
B----
T----
Temporal ResolutionGy1111
B    
T1111
TimelinessGyWithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 years
B    
TWithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 years
Required Measurement Uncertainty (2-sigma)G%Globally: 5%
Nationally: 10%		20%40%10%
B    
TGlobally: 10%
Nationally: 30%		40%80%50%
StabilityG     
B    
T    
Products  Total Estimated Fluxes by Coupled Data Assimilation/ Models with Observed Atmospheric Composition – NationalTotal Estimated Fluxes by Coupled Data Assimilation/ Models with Observed Atmospheric Composition – Continental  Anthropogenic CO2 Emissions/Removals by Land Categories  High-Resolution Footprint Around Point Sources
 (*)UnitValuesValues UnitValues UnitValues
Horizontal ResolutionGkm101000 Country-levelBy country/region km1
B      
T10010000 By country/region 2
Vertical ResolutionG --  -  -
B-- - -
T-- - -
Temporal ResolutionGy11 y1 h4
B      
T11 1 144 (6 days)
TimelinessGywithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 years ywithin 1.25 years weeks1
B      
Twithin 1.25 yearswithin 1.25 years within 1.25 years 4
Required Measurement Uncertainty (2-sigma)G%1010 % or Gg15% or 300Gg,
whichever is largest		 ppm1
B      
T3025 20% or 400Gg,
whichever is largest		 5
StabilityG         
B      
T      
 

(*) Goal (G): an ideal requirement above which further improvements are not necessary. Breakthrough (B): an intermediate level between threshold and goal which, if achieved, would result in a significant improvement for the targeted application. The breakthrough value may also indicate the level at which specified uses within climate monitoring become possible. It may be appropriate to have different breakthrough values for different uses. Threshold (T): the minimum requirement to be met to ensure that data are useful.

Data sources

This list provides sources for openly accessible data sets with worldwide coverage for which metadata is available. It is curated by the respective GCOS ECV Steward(s). The list does not claim to be complete. Anyone with a suitable dataset who wishes it to be added to this list should contact the abombelliatwmo [dot] int (GCOS Secretariat).

Anthropogenic Greenhouse gas fluxes
Domain:
Land
Subdomain:
Human Use of Natural Resources
Scientific Area:
Biosphere
ECV Steward:
Greet Maenhout
Products:
Anthropogenic CO2 Emissions from Fossil Fuel Use, Industry, Agriculture, Waste and Products Use; Anthropogenic CH4 Emissions from Fossil Fuel, Waste, Agriculture, Industrial Processes and Fuel Use; Anthropogenic N2O Emissions from Fossil Fuel Use, Industry, Agriculture, Waste and Products Use, Indirect from N-Related Emissions/Depositions; Anthropogenic F-Gas Emissions from Industrial Processes and Product Use; Total Estimated Fluxes by Coupled Data Assimilation/ Models with Observed Atmospheric Composition – National; Total Estimated Fluxes by Coupled Data Assimilation/ Models with Observed Atmospheric Composition – Continental; Anthropogenic CO2 Emissions/Removals by Land Categories; High-Resolution Footprint Around Point Sources